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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28366536">Five Sickles (English Version)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sectumxsempra/pseuds/sectumxsempra'>sectumxsempra</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Awkward Romance, Bellatrix Black Lestrange &amp; Severus Snape Friendship, Drama, Drama &amp; Romance, Falling In Love, Heartbreak, James Potter &amp; Lily Evans Potter Friendship, Lily Evans Potter &amp; Severus Snape Friendship, Love, Lovesickness, Lucius Malfoy &amp; Bellatrix Black Lestrange Friendship, Lucius Malfoy &amp; Severus Snape Friendship, Minor Character(s), No Incest, No Sex, No Slash, No Smut, Other, Peter Pettigrew &amp; James Potter Friendship, Remus Lupin &amp; James Potter Friendship, Remus Lupin &amp; Lily Evans Potter Friendship, Remus Lupin &amp; Severus Snape Friendship, Romance, Sirius Black &amp; James Potter Friendship, Sirius Black &amp; Remus Lupin Friendship, Slow Romance, Teen Crush, Teen Romance, Teenage Drama, Teenagers, Young Bellatrix Black Lestrange, Young James Potter, Young Lily Evans Potter, Young Lucius Malfoy, Young Peter Pettigrew, Young Remus Lupin, Young Severus Snape, Young Sirius Black, teen drama, teenage romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 22:56:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>24,150</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28366536</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sectumxsempra/pseuds/sectumxsempra</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Severus was poking around in his breakfast annoyed. Since yesterday, he had the feeling that his stomach would turn around all the time. He was sick. It’s so bad, he’s about to vomit. But Severus was in a good physical condition. It was his heart that made him feel that way. He looked over to the table of the Gryffindors. Although Severus knew the pain was unbearable when he saw Lily and James together, he simply couldn’t help it. The girl he loved so much was now dating the boy who had been bullying and teasing him for years.<br/>What did Lily see in James that Severus didn't have? Was it the black hair? The dark eyes? Or perhaps the fact that Severus was a Slytherin after all? Possibly something he wasn't even thinking about? Something so simple, but still enough to keep away Lily from loving the quiet boy from Spinner's End?</p><p>A teenage drama-romance focusing on the pairings of Snape/Lily and James/Lily<br/>(English isn't my first language. Please excuse grammar mistakes and translation mistakes.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Lily Evans Potter/Severus Snape</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Jealousy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            A translation of

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28349637">Five Sickles (Deutsche | German Version)</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/sectumxsempra/pseuds/sectumxsempra">sectumxsempra</a>.
        </li>

    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>English isn't my first langauge. Please excuse grammar mistakes and/or translation mistakes.<br/>Thank you very much and enjoy reading.</p><p> </p><p>(You can find the German version here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28349637/chapters/69458736)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Severus was poking around in his breakfast annoyed. Since yesterday, he had the feeling that his stomach would turn around all the time. He was sick. It was so bad, that he was about to vomit. But Severus was in a good physical condition. It was his heart that made him feel that way.<br/>
He felt that Lucius Malfoy, a rich boy with long platinum blond hair, was laying his hand on his shoulder.<br/>
"Nothing to worry about. You deserve someone better anyway." , said Lucius, trying to cheer up his friend.<br/>
But Severus didn’t want pity. Not now. The wound was too fresh for that. Only yesterday he overheard that James had kissed Lily in the Gryffindor common room.<br/>
Uncertainly, he looked over to the Gryffindor table. And he immediately regretted it when he saw the two holding hands.<br/>
Severus' heart felt like a centaur had just shot it with a poisonous arrow.<br/>
Making friends was always a challange for him. He had never really been popular at Hogwarts. Severus only mingled with people when it was really necessary. And instead of going to the Quidditch matches, the Slytherin preferred to spend his time in the dungeons learning a few new potion formulas.</p><p>"Eat at least little bit of your breakfast. It will be a long day, Sevy."<br/>
He shoot up and looked into the grinning face of Bellatrix Black. She must have sled in. Or he was just so caught up in his thoughts that he didn’t notice Bellatrix.<br/>
Her black curly head was hanging right in front of him. She still grinned, her eyes wide open and her arms leaning tightly on the table. Bellatrix Black was a bit scary. And it was no secret that even the other students of the House of Slytherin were afraid of her. But as long as Bellatrix didn’t hurt him, Severus had no intention of judging her. With a jerk, Bellatrix pushed herself off the table and jumped out of the Great Hall.</p><p>"I still don't know how to feel about Bellatrix. She’s definitely the girl you wouldn’t suspect after a murder." , Lucius whispered with a sarcastic undertone.<br/>
He looked over to the table of the Gryffindors. Although Severus knew the pain was unbearable when he saw Lily and James together, he simply couldn’t help it. The girl he loved so much was now dating the boy who had been bullying and teasing him for years.<br/>
What did Lily see in James that Severus didn't have? Was it the black hair? The dark eyes? Or perhaps the fact that Severus was a Slytherin after all? Possibly something he wasn't even thinking about? Something so simple, but still enough to keep away Lily from loving the quiet boy from Spinner's End?<br/>
His gaze drifted down to the plate, on which layed two fried eggs, looking at least as sad as Severus himself.<br/>
"Potions class is about to start. We should go.", said Lucius, clearing his cloak of the crumbs from his toast.</p><p> </p><p>Severus and Lucius went out of the Great Hall. Lucius was not really fascinated or attracted by potions class. He thought it would be a waste of time to throw herbs in a kettle and come up with funny names for the brews. Severus, on the other hand, was a very gifted student in potions. He succeeded in every potion on the first attempt, and at the exams he was the best of his year since he arrived at Hogwarts. In his spare time, he prepared potions, that were even too difficult for professors who had specialized in this school subject, without any mistakes.<br/>
"I hope we will learn Felix Felicis' this time. He is one of my absolute favourites!", said Severus, and a shy smile appeared on his pale lips.<br/>
"And I’m glad if I don’t fall asleep again." , Lucius replied annoyed and moved his shoulder bag a bit, "This supplementary book for this year is heavier than I thought."<br/>
Severus stopped suddenly and stared at his friend’s face.<br/>
"Oh no, the book! I forgot to put it in my bag last night!" he answered Lucius. Severus turned around, ignoring his friend’s complaint about the too heavy shoulder bag and shouted, "I’ll go get it quickly, go ahead!"</p><p> </p><p>The hallways were slowly emptying. Class would start soon. His steps echoed through the old hallways of Hogwarts. Luckily, the artifact room where Severus had left the book was not far away. In the Slytherin common room, it became quite noisy, especially in the evening, which was the reason he often visited the artifact room. Here he was able to learn and practice for potions class undisturbed.<br/>
"Well well, who do we have here?", a voice called. Severus slowed his pace and looked around. James Potter appeared behind a dirty old armor and pointed his wand at the Slytherin.<br/>
"Where are you going, Snape?" James hissed and came a little closer, the wand still firmly in his hand, "I thought you and Malfoy were on your way to potions class? But today seems to be my lucky day, doesn’t it? You’re here all alone." James got closer and closer. No student or teacher was in the hallway anymore.<br/>
"What do you want from me, Potter?" asked Severus, trying to remain as calm as possible. He had no desire or time for a confrontation with the Gryffindor.<br/>
James was now a few centimeters away from his face, the tip of his wand placed menacingly at Severus' throat.<br/>
With a disgusted look, James whispered: "Stay away from my Lily, you annoying snake. She's my girlfriend, you understand?"<br/>
He thought the best option was to say nothing. Because a Yes would be a lie. And saying No would be a lie as well.<br/>
"Do you understand, Snape?", James growled, his expression darkening.<br/>
Severus let his hand slide slowly and carefully inside his cloak as he continued to maintain eye contact with James.<br/>
"Answer me!", the young Gryffindor shouted furious and raised his wand to cast a spell. But Severus was faster.<br/>
"Stupefy!", he cried out loudly. James flew backwards and crashed on the floor a few seconds later.<br/>
Severus wanted to avoid trouble as much as he could and decided to make his way back to potions class as quickly as possible. He would get the book from the artifact room later this afternoon. The Slytherin would probably have deal with the consequences of showing up to class way too late and without his book.<br/>
Just as he had turned around, a furious "Flipendo!" rang out behind him.<br/>
In a flash, Severus performed a circular hand gesture and a shiny shield appeared in front of him. However, the effect of the protection spell was short-lived.<br/>
"Flipendo!", the Gryffindor shouted again. This time, however, the attack spell missed its target and slammed into the display case of Quidditch awards with a deafening explosion. Shards of glass flew on the floor. Shocked, Severus stared at the destroyed display case, its badges and trophies. For that, he could be expelled if it turned out that the accident happend during an illegal duel.</p><p> </p><p>"Where's Severus?", Bellatrix whispered, looking around the classroom. Potions class had started half an hour ago and there was still no sign of the black haired Slytherin. "He just went to get his book.", Lucius sighed, unobtrusively turning his chair backwards a little to be able to talk to Bellatrix better, "actually, he should be coming through the door any moment now. Sev is almost never late."<br/>
Bellatrix nodded slowly, twirling one of her black curls around her index finger. Bored, Lucius scribbled with his quill on a sheet of parchment that lay on the table in front of him.</p><p> </p><p>After about two hours, potions class was coming to an end. Severus was still gone.<br/>
Lucius stuffed his books back into his shoulder bag. Because of the weight of the heavy bag his shoulder started to ache again. From the corner of his eye he saw Bellatrix walking towards the classroom exit. Lucius got up quickly and rushed over to her.<br/>
"Black! Please wait a moment!" he said and groaned in pain as his long hair got caught in the strap of his bag.<br/>
"What is it, Malfoy?", she answered.<br/>
Lucius pulled off some loose hairs from his shoulder bag as he said: "I think something has happened. It doesn’t take two hours to get a book."<br/>
"You think? Maybe Sevy just got lost. Or the stairs are causing trouble again. You know they change direction!", explained Bellatrix, as if she didn't want to admit that something could have happened to Severus.<br/>
But Lucius knew it. Something had happened.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Unforgivable Curses</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Severus opened his deep black eyes slowly. He felt completely exhausted and tired. His gaze wandered through the room. Golden sunlight shone through the big windows and the Slytherin had to blink a few times. He had landed in the Hospital Wing of Hogwarts. Severus must have been hit by one of James' spells.<br/>He wore an over-sized pajama made of white linen. His clothes lay carefully folded on a wooden stool beside him.<br/>Severus noticed that bandages were wrapped around his two wrists. A little worried, he looked down to the bandage before slowly moving his wrists. He felt no pain and breathed out relieved.</p><p>"Ah, you finally woke up. "<br/>A nurse in a long red dress and apron came in. In her hand she held a small dark brown bottle, sealed with a musty cork.<br/>"You're lucky, Snape. You only got hit by few shards. ", the nurse said with a serious expression on her face. The young Slytherin remembered the duel with James Potter in the corridor. During a spell, the display case containing the Quidditch awards was broken. Severus couldn't remember what happened after that.<br/>The nurse placed the bottle on a small table right next to his bed and said: "Drink this Pepper Up Potion within the next hour. After that, you'll be able to participate in the school day again. "<br/>After that sentence, she turned and left the room.</p><p>Severus took the potion in his hand. A thin layer of dust had formed on the dark brown glass.<br/>" Why should I drink a Pepper Up Potion? I don’t have a cold at all... Does anyone here have a clue about potions?”, Severus muttered and put the bottle back on the table.<br/>He got out of the warm bed, made sure he was alone, and changed.<br/>Severus thought about what happened to James. Would James keep the incident to himself? Or would he tell everyone in the Gryffindor common room that he had won a duel against a Slytherin? And what would Lily think of him, since Severus was the one who first cast a spell.<br/>He pulled out his schedule from his school bag and noticed that he had completely missed Potions class, as well as Herbology class. His finger went down the line.<br/>Next, he would have Defense Against the Dark Arts with the Gryffindors. Severus didn’t feel well with the fact of  looking James in the eye again.<br/>But not showing up for class was not a permanent solution either. With a sigh, he put his schedule back in his pocket and left the Hospital Wing.</p><p> </p><p>There were only a few students in the corridors.<br/>"Have you heard about the duel? Supposedly Snape attacked Potter!", a Gryffindor whispered to a group of Hufflepuffs.<br/>"You mean that one attacked Potter?", asked one of the Hufflepuffs, pointing at Severus who was now running faster and faster through the corridor.<br/>"Yeah, that's him, right?", a Ravenclaw shouted.<br/>Within seconds, all the students in the hallway had turned to stare at Severus. Some laughed at him, others called him names, and one even threw a Chocolate Frog at the Slytherin.</p><p> </p><p>After about 15 minutes, Severus arrived down in the dungeons, completely out of breath, and walked into the Slytherin common room. He would skip classes today for once. He didn't want to see James who would make fun of him in front of the whole class. He would get his book from the artifact room tonight. Right now, Severus just wanted to rest for a while.<br/>With a sigh, he dropped himself on the couch in front of the fireplace. He could feel the soft heat of the fire on his face. The crackling of the wood echoed through the empty room. Tired, the Slytherin laid his head on the back of the couch and closed his eyes. He would prefer to be alone in the common room forever. Probably all of Hogwarts had already heard about the duel. And anyone would blame Severus. Because his house has had a bad reputation for years. No one would believe it was a Gryffindor who had threatened a Slytherin. If he had known what was going to happen today, he wouldn’t have got out of bed in the first place.</p><p>Severus almost fell from the couch when the door to the common room blew open with a loud bang.<br/>“We’ve looked everywhere, he can only be here, Luc-Sevy!”<br/>Now he was wide awake again and looked into the happy and relieved face of Bellatrix. Behind her was Lucius, who also looked very relieved. The girl jumped over to the black-haired Slytherin and hugged him so tightly that Severus could hardly breathe.<br/>“Where the hell have you been? We searched the whole school for you!” said Lucius, who sat down on diagonally across from him.<br/>“Yes, the whole school! Lucius and I were afraid that you had fled to Hogsmeade!”, Bellatrix added.<br/>Severus sighed and sits upright to tell his friends the whole story.</p><p>"As I was on my way to get my book when Potter crossed my way.", he told, pausing when Bellatrix screwed up her face at the name Potter.<br/>"I knew that Potter couldn't be trusted. I'm suspicious of his friends, too. ", Bellatrix commented, who by now had removed her cloak and made herself comfortable next to Severus on the couch.<br/>"Anyway. . . " he continued, "we were dueling. And then I woke up in the Hospital Wing. That's all I can remember. "</p><p>Lucius looked at his friend's face, leaned forward and whispered: “Why didn’t you use one of the Unforgivable Curses? I thought you mastered this kind of black magic?”<br/>Bellatrix agreed with the blonde Slytherin with a quick nod.<br/>“Are you crazy, Lucius?” Severus histed, “I want to become a professor at Hogwarts. Do you think the Ministry doesn’t care if I put an Unforgivable Curse on a student?”</p><p>He got up from the couch and stood in front of the fireplace. The fire reflected in his deep black eyes. Severus could easily put an Unforgivable Curse on James. But the consequences would impact the rest of his life. And the chance of landing in Azkaban for that was enormously high.<br/>As tempting as it would have been to see the light fade from James' eyes, Severus was able to pull himself together every time.<br/>Behind him, Lucius cleared his throat and said: "We should make our way to the Great Hall. Dinner will start soon."</p><p> </p><p>The friends left the common room and made their way to the Great Hall. In the corridors, students began to whisp when they saw the three Slytherins.<br/>Severus, with his head down, tried to escape the judging gazes. His duel with James really seemed to have spread like wildfire. Surely there were the craziest rumors and theories about how it could ever come to this.</p><p>After a few minutes they reached the Garge Hall. It was almost completely filled with students, which Severus saw as an opportunity to get his book from the artifact room.<br/>“You guys go in, I’ll be right back. ” the black-haired Slytherin whispered and looked around uncertainly.<br/>“Are you sure you want to go alone? I can come with you.", offered Lucius.<br/>But he denied Lucius' offer. Bellatrix wished him good luck and promised him that she would keep a seat for him.</p><p> </p><p>Severus did not meet anyone in the corridors. Nevertheless, he turned around a few times to make sure no one was follow him. At the end of a long corridor, only a few meters away, he saw the wooden door of the artifact room. Relieved, he pulled his wand out of his cloak and opened the door with an “Alohomora!”.<br/>Now he would grab his book and leave.<br/>"What the-?”, Severus said and stepped back in shock. On the floor sat a boy with brown hair, his face covered with scars. He wore a cloak that was at least two sizes too big for him. The patch on his cloak indicated that it must have been a Gryffindor. In the room was a steaming cauldron in which a yellow liquid was bubbling. A disgusting smell spread.</p><p>“Get out, Snape!” the boy screamed and tried to cover the cauldron with his hands. But Severus did not leave the room.<br/>“Get out of here!” the boy screamed again and sounded more desperate than angry. The Slytherin locked the door behind him and crossed his arms thoughtfully.<br/>The Gryffindor seemed familiar to him.<br/>“Is it you, Lupin?” Severus asked cautiously.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. L</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Yes, it's me!", Remus shouted, pulling out his wand with shaky hands, "You better go now, or you'll be sorry!"<br/>Tears had gathered in the Gryffindor's green eyes, which he tried to hold back.<br/>"I'm not leaving until you tell me what you're doing here, Lupin.", Severus replied in a serious voice and pointed his wand at the boy. Remus slowly lowered his arm and sat back down on the floor. A tear rolled down his scarred face.<br/>"I just can’t get this potion done.", he muttered and began to sore softly, "And I have already tried to brew my potion with the help of this book, but-"<br/>Severus' eyes began to shine when he saw Remus pulling out the book he had left in the Artifact Room the night before.<br/>"Give me that!", threatened the Slytherin and came one step closer to him. A little confused Remus looked first at the book, then at Severus and then at the book again. "No, I can’t! There are strange things in the book that are supposed to be used to improve potions." , explained Remus and pressed the book firmly to his chest.<br/>"Damn it, Lupin! Hand it over!", Severus shouted and jumped on the Gryffindor to snatch the book.<br/>Remus accidentally knocked over the boiling-hot cauldron while fighting back.<br/>The liquid of the potion spread all over the floor, soaking Remus' cloak in a shimmering green.</p><p> </p><p>Sirius tapped his fingers on the table. Remus had been gone longer than usual.<br/>"Where's Moony?", He asked James, who seemed to be worried. James let his gaze wander around the Great Hall.<br/>There was no sign of Remus.<br/>"Do you think there's a problem with the potion?", Sirius asked.<br/>"Well, I don't know. But I guess there is a problem at the Slytherin table as well.", Peter said and pointed over to Lucius and Bellatrix who were looking anxiously around the hall.<br/>"Apparently Snape has disappeared as well. Probably lying half dead in the Hospital Wing!", James chuckled and looked at Lily who was sitting right next to him.<br/>But Lily didn't seem too pleased with James' comment.<br/>"Don't be so mean, James. What if something happened to Snape?", Lily said frightened, biting her lower lip.<br/>"Oh yeah, maybe he ran into a troll!", James giggled. Peter immediately started laughing and thus presented his too long front teeth.</p><p>Suddenly Sirius stood up and cried out: "There he is! There’s Moony!”<br/>Sirius ran over to the entrance of the hall and hugged his friend.<br/>"Moony, we were so worried! Where have you been and...", he stepped back and looked at Remus from top to bottom, "What happened to you?"<br/>The green liquid of the potion dripped from his cloak onto the floor. His brown hair was disheveled and his sweater had a few small holes. He didn't want to bring up the fact that there had been an argument with Severus and they had fought over a book.<br/>"I didn't succeed with the potion, Padfoot.", Remus said in a whiny voice, making his voice tremble.<br/>Sirius hugged him again and stroked his back softly.</p><p>Remus sat down next to Lily, who had reserved a seat for him.<br/>"Moony, you look terrible! What happened?", she asked and put her hand on his hand, squeezing it gently.<br/>"Oh nothing, Lily.", lied Remus and looked at the table of the Slytherins.<br/>He saw Lucius and Bellatrix, desperately poking around in their dinner. Severus hadn’t come back yet. He was starting to get worried.<br/>"Please, Remus. What’s bothering you?", she asked him again and took a sip of her pumpkin juice.<br/>The brown-haired boy lowered his head a little and whispered: "There were problems with the Wolfsbane Potion. Not even that stupid book could help me."<br/>Remus took the book he had found in the Artifact Room out of his bag and gave it to her.<br/>Lily curiously opened the first page of the book.<br/>"And I also have no idea who's supposed to be the Half-Blood Prince.", groaned Remus.<br/>Lily smiled and ran her index finger over the signature.<br/>"Maybe you should ask Snape for help if you’re having trouble with potions.", she said and gave him the book back.</p><p> </p><p>Dinner was almost over when Severus entered the Great Hall.<br/>Silently, he sat down between Lucius and Bellatrix. Blood flowed down his nose and the skin around his left eye shimmered in a light shade of purple.<br/>Part of his cloak were ripped apart and his face almost completely scratched.<br/>"Merlin's beard, what happened to you?", Lucius hissed angrily, as Severus had drawn the attention of the entire hall by now.<br/>"Just fight with Lupin.", he said, wiping the blood from his upper lip with the back of his hand, "I don't think I'll ever see my book again. Because he still has it."<br/>Bellatrix cast a spiteful glance in the direction of the Gryffindors. She saw James and Sirius pointing at Severus, laughing loudly.<br/>"I guess they never give up.", Lucius sighed, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe up the blood which was dripping onto the table.</p><p> </p><p>After dinner, all houses went to their common rooms. It was already dark outside and the corridors were bathed in a warm light by candles and torches.<br/>Severus couldn’t wait to finally go to bed.<br/>"We won’t leave your side tomorrow, I promise!," Bellatrix announced, jumping up and down in a good mood as they went down to the dungeons.<br/>When they reached the door to the Slytherin common room, they saw a girl leaning against the wall.. She had long ginger hair and wore a Gryffindor cloak.<br/>"Is that Evans?," complained Bellatrix and crossed her arms.<br/>Severus started blushing when he looked into Lily’s deep green eyes. She smiled and approached him.<br/>"We’ll leave you alone then.", Lucius whispered, grabbing Bellatrix’s arm, and pulling her with him into the Slytherin common room.<br/>"Hello, Sev.", greeted Lily cheerfully and seemed to have something in her hands.<br/>It had been ages since the two had a conversation. Severus greeted her with a smile and was still paralyzed by her beautiful eyes.<br/>"I have a message to bring you.", whispered Lily and handed him a folded piece of parchment.<br/>"A message?", The Slytherin stuttered, his heart pounding faster and faster as the girl's fingertips touched his hand. Shyly, he took the message and read the text which was written with dark red ink on the parchment:</p><p> </p><p>Today at 10pm in the Artifact Room.<br/>It's important.<br/>I'm counting on you.</p><p>-L</p><p> </p><p>Severus read the message several times. Was it really important, or was it just a childish joke from James?<br/>"Who wrote the message?", he asked, staring at the mysterious L.<br/>L.<br/>L?<br/>He didn’t know anyone named L.<br/>But Lily did not answer him and winked at Slytherin with her emerald green eyes.<br/>"I’m sure you’ll be able to help him.", she whispered and gently kissed Severus' cheek.<br/>Before he could say anything, Lily ran up the stairs and left the dungeons.<br/>Completely perplexed by what had just happened, Severus looked at her.<br/>Slowly, he put the palm of his hand on his cheek, which Lily had kissed a few seconds ago. His heart felt like it would just explode every moment.<br/>"Oh, Lily..."</p><p> </p><p>Severus made his way to the artifact room a few minutes before 10pm. Students were not allowed to be outside their common rooms when it was this late. But he didn’t want to abandon the stranger, who seemed to be in desperate need of his help. However, he was a bit worried, as Severus did not know who or what he would meet in the Artifact Room. He was carrying his bag with lots of books about potion making with him just in case he would need them.</p><p>After a few moments, he reached the Artifact Room. The door was barely visible, as there were no torches or candles around him.<br/>"Lumos.", Severus whispered, his voice echoing through the long corridor.<br/>Carefully, he pushed down the door handle. It opened a smidge, which meant the stranger must already be there.<br/>With a deep breath and all his courage Severus entered the room.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Lupin's secret</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Nox.", Severus whispered and the small spark of light at the end of his wand went out. A handful of candles lit up part of the room. It took a few seconds for the Slytherin's eyes to adjust to the darkness.<br/>
The door slammed shut.<br/>
He still hoped that it was really important and that Lily didn't trap him. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Severus recognized the silhouette of a person sitting on the ground just a few meters from him.<br/>
"I'm glad you came. ", the Silhouette said.<br/>
The voice revealed that it had to be a boy.<br/>
The boy stood up and extended his hand in greeting.<br/>
"And with whom do I have the pleasure?", Severus replied, trying to sound more composed than he actually was.<br/>
The boy laughed and a tiny spark of light on the tip of his wand immediately appeared when he said "Lumos!".<br/>
Severus sighed in relief when he looked into the familiar face of Remus.<br/>
"Well well, Lupin. And what brings us together tonight?", Severus said, looking deprecatingly at one of the candles, "Didn't know you had such a romantic side."<br/>
He didn’t trust Remus at all. It must have been some stupid prank by James.<br/>
Just as Severus was about to turn around and leave the Artifact Room, Remus quickly grabbed his wrist.<br/>
"Please, don’t go.", Remus said, still clutching his wrist tightly, "You’re the only one who can help me!"<br/>
His voice sounded desperate.<br/>
"All right, I'll stay. But now tell me what's going on!", Severus hissed, tearing away from Remus in annoyance. The Gryffindor pulled a large heavy cauldron out of one of the many shelves and carefully placed it on the floor. Remus then pulled out several small vials and flasks out of his school bag and gently placed them next to the cauldron.<br/>
Would he want to brew potions with him just before midnight?<br/>
And if so, what was so important that it had to happen unobserved and secretly in the Artifact Room?<br/>
"Well, let's begin!", said Remus with joy. He looked at Severus, who had crossed his arms and looked more confused than ever.<br/>
The two students sat down on the floor opposite the cauldron.<br/>
Remus took a deep breath and said: “First of all, I am thankful that you're here, Snape. There is something you should know."<br/>
"Finally.", Severus growled impatiently.<br/>
Remus laughed in embarrassment and blushed.<br/>
"I’m not sure how to tell you, Snape. But I think, since I need your help, I have to reveal my secret to you."<br/>
Severus nodded in agreement without saying anything.<br/>
"I’m different. I am a werewolf.", he whispered as quiet as possible.<br/>
It was quiet for a few seconds.<br/>
Remus stared at the empty cauldron in front of him in shame.<br/>
"So it's true.", said the Slytherin, and seemed to pierce Remus with his gaze, "And I have always wondered why you disappeared on full moon with your pathetic friends."<br/>
Severus picked up one of the many vials lying on the ground in front of the two students. A black liquid sparkled in it.<br/>
"And you’re asking me to help you brew the Wolfsbane Potion, right?” he asked, a little bit of aversion passed through his calm voice.<br/>
Remus nodded.<br/>
Severus sighed in annoyance and rolled up the sleeves of his sweater.<br/>
"I’ll make the potion for you, Lupin."</p><p>It took forever to brew the potion. When Severus dropped the last ingredient, monkshood, into the cauldron, the potion turned into a deep and dark blue.<br/>
A bitter smell rose in Remus' nose and he wriggled his face in disgust.<br/>
"Who else brewed the Wolfsbane Potion for you?", asked the Slytherin, and with a rusty ladle scooped some of the potion into a cup.<br/>
"Professor Slughorn. But he didn’t make it in time and so-"<br/>
"So you're asking me, even though you can't stand me.", Severus interrupted him and handed him the cup.<br/>
Remus almost burned his fingers because the cup was extremly hot. His green eyes stared at the tiny blue clouds of steam floating on the surface of the potion. "Thank you.", Remus said, carefully taking small sips of the bitter potion. </p><p>The morning sunlight shone through the gap between the floor and the door. They had spent all night brewing the Wolfbane Potion.<br/>
Remus stretched and rubbed his tired eyes.<br/>
"Hard to believe we've been here all night.", he laughed, trying to break the silence that was between him and Severus for hours.<br/>
But Severus didn't address the comment and placed the now cooled cauldron back on the shelf.<br/>
He wasn't sure if he could trust Remus or not. Because revealing the secret that he was a werewolf was too risky to be a silly prank.<br/>
"This is for you, Snape."<br/>
Severus had been snapped out of his thoughts and turned around.<br/>
Remus had a small  bag made out of brown linen fabric in his hand and handed it to Severus.<br/>
Never before had anyone, exept for Lucius and Bellatrix, given him a present.<br/>
Hesitantly, he took the small bag and opened it. A few golden coins appeared.<br/>
“Five Sickles.", Remus said, "It’s not much, but I still want to give you something. After all, you helped me."<br/>
Remus left the Artifact Room with a smile.<br/>
Severus stared at the coins.<br/>
Did Remus Lupin, a friend of his enemy James Potter, actually give him a present?<br/>
Out of pure goodness?<br/>
Confused, he scratched the back of his head before he also left the room.</p><p>In the meantime, it was shortly after 7am. A few students were already up and walked through the cold corridors of Hogwarts.<br/>
Some were wearing their school uniforms and some were sneaking around in their pyjamas.<br/>
Severus thought about what he should do until the beginning of class. He didn't want Lucius to yell at him for not returning to the Slytherin dormitory that night. Not this early in the morning. And he also didn’t want to sit alone in the Great Hall while having breakfast and occasionally see James.<br/>
Then he had an idea.<br/>
He’d tell Lily that he helped Remus with his potion's problem.</p><p> </p><p>It was the first time that he went to the tower of the Gryffindors.<br/>
"Slytherins are not welcome here!", a student shouted at him who had just come through the portrait hole.<br/>
But Severus ignored the nagging and leaned against the wall. Now he would wait.<br/>
Tired, he closed his eyes for a moment. He would like to lie down in his bed and sleep for three days straight.<br/>
Someone came through the portrait hole again.<br/>
Severus tiredly opened his eyes and saw Lily’s long ginger hair.<br/>
Immediately, his heart began to beat faster.<br/>
His mouth went dry and his body started shaking.<br/>
"Good morning, Lily!", Severus said and pushed himself away from the wall, nearly losing his balance.<br/>
Lily looked around in confusion until she looked into her friend's pale face.<br/>
She approached him with open arms and hugged the Slytherin. Lily had tears of joy in her eyes and began to sob.<br/>
Severus' heart was still pounding. He even feared that Lily might hear his rapid heartbeat.<br/>
"Thank you so much for helping Remus.", she cried and snugged herself more on the boy's body.<br/>
Severus stroked her back gently.<br/>
"No problem, no problem.", he muttered.<br/>
It felt good to hug Lily.<br/>
It felt good when she was with him.<br/>
Lily made Severus the happiest boy in the world.</p><p>After a while, Lily pushed herself away from his chest and wipe the tears from her face.<br/>
"Would you like to have a Butterbeer with me?", Severus asked shyly and looked at the ground embarrassed.<br/>
"A Butterbeer?", repeated Lily.<br/>
Severus felt his palms become sweaty.<br/>
"A-As friends, of course!", he added while stuttering.<br/>
"I would very much like to have a Butterbeer with you. What do you think of today after class?", she asked happily.<br/>
Severus blushed and nodded.<br/>
It felt like thousands of butterflies were rushing through his body.<br/>
"Wonderful! See you later, Sev.", the girl giggled and left the tower.<br/>
When Lily was out of sight, Severus jumped in a circle and chuckled.<br/>
It’s been weeks since he spent time alone with Lily.<br/>
And already today he would have a Butterbeer with her.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Happy birthday, Snape! c:</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Choose your side</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"What do you mean you have a date with Evans?", Bellatrix yelled, dropping her toast. Some students at the table turned their heads to them.<br/>
"Psssh!", Severus hissed, "Not so loud! Besides, it's not a date. It's just a meeting."<br/>
Bellatrix was now even more annoyed than before, since her toast had fallen jam-side down onto her plate.<br/>
"It's my decision, Bellatrix.", Snape growled with rage. From a distance, he saw Remus entering the Great Hall and siting down next to Peter, who was already at the Gryffindors' table.<br/>
"No, I just don't think that it's a good idea! First you disappear without telling us, then you're gone all night, and then you want to spend time with that mudblood!", she shouted angrily.<br/>
Lucius punched the table with his fist, so that his glass of pumpkin juice almost fell over.<br/>
"Enough!", Lucius snarled and pure anger sparkled in his grey eyes. Bellatrix immediately fell silent, but looked at the two boys furiously.<br/>
Without saying a word, she got up and exited the Great Hall. Shocked, Severus looked at her. He had never seen Bellatrix being this angry.<br/>
"She’s jealous and can’t handle the fact that you're going to meet Evans.", said Lucius.<br/>
Severus didn’t know whether to be angry or sad. He liked both ; Bellatrix and Lily. And he didn’t want to make one of the girls feel left out.<br/>
"Did you get your book?", asked Lucius and drank a sip of his pumpkin juice.<br/>
"No.", Severus answered and stared at the table of the Gryffindors. He saw James, Sirius, Peter and Lily getting up and leaving the Great Hall as well.<br/>
Lucius almost spit out his pumpkin juice.<br/>
"You don’t have it? What’s that supposed to mean?"<br/>
But he did not respond to Lucius' questions andstared at Remus, who was now sitting all alone at the table.<br/>
Remus looked over to the Slytherins when his green eyes met with Severus'.<br/>
"Are you even listening to me?", Lucius said, noticing that Severus was looking past him. Severus smiled shyly and continued looking into Remus' eyes.<br/>
He was still grateful for the gift he received from Remus as a thank you for helping him with the brewing of the Wolfsbane Potion.<br/>
Lucius had stopped talking by now and turned around as well.<br/>
"Oh, Lupin.", The blond Slytherin growled.<br/>
Severus raised his hand a little and waved to Remus as inconspicuously as possible.<br/>
"Look at him. Such an ugly face. And his clothes are probably already three generations old.", Lucius histed like a snake.<br/>
He would have liked to make fun of James’s friend even more if Severus had not given him a gentle push in the side.<br/>
"Remus is coming, be quiet, Lucius!", he whispered and saw him walking through the Great Hall.</p><p>"Hello, Snape! Hello, Malfoy!", Remus said with a smile.<br/>
"What do you want, Lupin?", Lucius grumbled, and dared to not even look at him.<br/>
He didn’t think halfbloods were worth his time. With Severus, however, Lucius made an exception.<br/>
"Great to see you, Lupin." , Severus greeted him.<br/>
Remus sat on the bench next to Lucius, who grimly looked at him from the side.<br/>
The hall emptied slowly. Class would start in a few minutes. "Shall we go together to Defend Against the Dark Arts?”, he asked the two Slytherins.<br/>
Lucius laughed sarcastically and pointed his wand at Remus.<br/>
"What are you up to, Lupin?"<br/>
Lucius tapped the tip of his wand against Remus' chest.<br/>
"No no, it's all right Lucius.", Severus replied to him. Remus was still smiling, but now it was more of an embarrassed smile.<br/>
Lucius lowered his arm again and the wand disappeared inside his cloak.<br/>
"You two are getting along so well all of a sudden.", The he said, looking at the two boys.<br/>
"Well, Malfoy, Snape and I ran into each other last night and-"<br/>
"Why don't we go to Defense Against the Dark Arts!", Severus interrupted him, jumping up and pulling Remus roughly behind him.<br/>
Lucius now looked even more confused than before.</p><p> </p><p>"Merlin's Beard, Lupin! You can’t say we met last night!", Severus hissed and remained close to the side of the Gryffindor as they ran through the corridors.<br/>
"Doesn't Malfoy know anything about this? Didn’t you tell him?", Remus gasped and struggled to keep up with the Slytherin.<br/>
Severus shook his head.<br/>
"But why not?", Remus panted and took a deep breath when Severus finally stopped walking.<br/>
"Because he thinks I was gone all night because of the book!", he whispered, "Oh, and about the book... I really need it back."<br/>
Remus was still heavily breathing.<br/>
"It's really important, Lupin. Did you bring it?", Severus asked, looking curiously at the Gryffindor's bag.<br/>
Remus denied.<br/>
Severus was about to say something when he suddenly heard the sound of footsteps. He Immediately fell silent and Remus suppressed his loud breathing as well. They stared at the shadow, which grew larger and larger.<br/>
A few seconds later, Peter and James came around the corner.<br/>
They seemed to laugh about something. However, their laughter fell silent, and they stopped when they saw Remus and Severus.<br/>
"Moony, what did you catch us?", asked James and looked at Remus.<br/>
Threatenly, James cracked his fingers and came closer to them.<br/>
Peter stopped behind James.<br/>
"Prongs, we are just on our way to Defense Against the Dark Arts.", said Remus and and his voice was trembling slightly.<br/>
It was a nightmare for James that Remus was hanging out with his greatest enemy.<br/>
"Are we too.", he hissed, standing only a few centimetres away from Severus. He felt James' hot breath on his pale face.<br/>
The brown eyes flashed dangerously through the round glasses.<br/>
"You damn snake." , James whispered, "First you want to steal my girlfriend and now you want to steal my best friends."<br/>
Peter agreed with him, cheerfully.<br/>
It was only a matter of time before the situation would get out of control.<br/>
Remus gently pulled Severus away from James.<br/>
"Leave him alone, Prongs. I asked Snape if he would like to come with me.", he said, and bravely placed himself in front of James.<br/>
Remus didn’t really like Severus. But since he got to know him a little better while brewing the Wolfsbane Potion, he wanted to protect Severus from being bullied by James.<br/>
Suddenly, James tackled Remus and pressed him on the ground. With one hand he was choking Remus.<br/>
“Liar!”, he shouted and scratched brutally with his fingernails over the already scarred face.<br/>
Blood gushed out of Remus' eyes and mixed up with his tears.<br/>
Peter had stopped cheering and was now in a state of shock.<br/>
Remus squirmed in pain, trying to break free of the tight grip.<br/>
There was no way Severus was going to let Remus die. Quickly he thought about what he should do.<br/>
He would have preferred to call a teacher, but time he was running out of time.<br/>
Remus' face was getting paler and his movements began to slow down.<br/>
Adrenaline rushed through Severus' veins.<br/>
His black eyes sparkled when a thought crossed his mind.<br/>
A thought that was very risky.<br/>
Risky but the only helpful action he could think of at the moment.<br/>
"Sectumsempra!", Severus shouted, pointing his wand directly at James.<br/>
The sound of sharp blades cutting through James' flesh could be heard. In a split second, James' body was covered with hundreds of deep cuts.<br/>
Blood splattered against the walls.<br/>
Severus, Remus and Peter stared at James.<br/>
James tilted to the side, crashed on the ground and squirmed in pain. His eyes were wide open.<br/>
Loud and agonised screaming filled the corridor.<br/>
Remus whimpered when he realised that James was now lying in a large puddle of his own blood.<br/>
Severus lowered his wand and his body was now shaking. It was the first time he had used that spell.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Lily's sorrow</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Remus had to pull himself together not to vomit. James' cut up body lay unmoving in the huge puddle of blood on the floor. Only the slight rise and fall of his chest showed that he was still alive. Eyes now closed from exhaustion, James' glasses were covered in blood as well. Peter had fainted and was lying a few metres away from him.<br/>"What just happened?", Remus asked in a trembling voice. A part of James' chest was torn open so deeply that the bones of his ribcage were revealed. His elbow was twisted and splintered.<br/>Remus clung to the wall with one hand, because the longer he looked at the mutilated body, the more he felt the need to throw up.<br/>"A spell." , Severus whispered and also stared at James. He didn’t realise how much damage a spell he created could do. Remus was feeling off and muttered a few incomprehensible sentences. Severus' hands became sweaty when he thought about the fact that he might be sent to Azkaban for attacking James. From a distance, he heard footsteps rushing towards him.<br/>Severus was getting overwhelmed. What should he do now? Should he run away? Should he hand himself over to the teachers and confess that he almost killed a student? What would Lily say? Should he even tell her?<br/>The footsteps came closer and closer. Remus turned to Severus with a pale face, equally unsure what they should do.<br/>"Come on, let's get out of here!"</p><p>Severus and Remus ran undetected through Hogwarts for half an hour until they found an empty classroom in the West Tower and used it as their hiding place.<br/>Severus sealed the lock of the door with a spell so that no one could enter the room. Out of breath and still completely confused, what just happened, Remus sat down on a dusty teacher’s desk. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. He was still pale in his face.<br/>"We are safe for now.", said Severus, looking around the dark classroom. The windows had been nailed with heavy wooden boards. Only a few rays of sunlight gave the classroom the light it needed to see something.<br/>Benches, desks and books were spread across the entire classroom, as if a storm would ravaged the classroom.<br/>"Will he make it? James?", Remus asked, having recovered from all the running by now. Severus turned to Remus. His face was almost completely shadowed by the dim light.<br/>"Listen to me, Lupin. I need that damn book. Otherwise, I won't be able to cure Potter."<br/>Remus opened his mouth as if he had a realization, but closed it again. Silently, he looked at Severus.<br/>"Only I can save him from death. Only I know the appropriate counter curse."</p><p> </p><p>The Gryffindor Common Room was, as so often, quite crowded. After class, many students stopped by to drop off their books, take a break or do their homework.<br/>"I think it’s weird that after all these months of barely speaking to each other, you want to get back in touch with Snape.", said Sirius and sat down next to Lily on the sofa in front of the fireplace. Lily, who had put on a new shirt especially for her meeting with Severus, quickly closed her small backpack, which she carried with her.<br/>"We just want to chat a little, Sirius.", explained Lily and quickly put the backpack between her feet.<br/>Sirius leaned forward and looked curiously at the backpack.<br/>"What’s that in there? Is it a love letter to Snape?", he asked and grinned. Lily rolled her eyes, the backpack now pressed even more firmly between her feet.<br/>“I need help with my essay on potions." , she replied, hoping Sirius would fall for the lie.<br/>Sirius nodded calmly and closed his eyes to enjoy the warmth of the fireplace.<br/>Lily looked out the window in a dream. She had been looking forward to meeting Severus all day. Because ever since she was with James, she’d lost all contact with the Slytherin.<br/>Lily was ripped out of her rosy thoughts when someone rushed through the portrait hole and almost ran over another student.<br/>"No student leaves the Gryffindor Common Room! Did you hear that? Nobody leaves our common room! Everybody stay here!"<br/>Everyone in the common room was silent and looked over to the portrait hole.<br/>It was Professor Minerva McGonagall, teacher of Transfiguration, Head of Gryffindor House and Deputy Headmistress.<br/>"Where are your prefects?", asked Professor McGonagall and stared with her green eyes into the many faces of confused students.<br/>Lily slowly rose from the sofa.<br/>"I’m here, Professor. But Lupin is not.", announced Lily, picked up her backpack and made a few steps forward.<br/>All the eyes of the Gryffindors had been on her.<br/>Full of fear about what was about to happen, everyone stopped breathing for a second.<br/>"Please follow me, Evans. I need to talk to you alone.", ordered Professor McGonagall.</p><p>Lily walked along the long corridors of Hogwarts with Professor McGonagall. She didn't know what had happened and thought about all the events of the day. Had she broken the rules? Was her work as a prefect deficient and thus not further required? On her chest proudly gleamed the crimson prefect badge.<br/>"Um, excuse me.", Lily said softly, looking up into the worried face of her teacher. But Professor McGonagall didn't answer and didn't seem to care about Lily's question. Lily had a bad feeling. Professor McGonagall was very a strict teacher, but she was still a very helpful and warm-hearted person. It was unusual that she didn't respond to a student's question.<br/>Meanwhile it had started to rain. Heavy raindrops fell from the dark grey and dense clouds in the sky and rumbled violently against the windows.<br/>Professor McGonagall and Lily walked silently next to each other before they stopped at the door of the Hospital Wing.<br/>“Please don’t be too shocked, Evans. He doesn’t look good.", said Professor McGonagall and knocked on the door.<br/>An icy wind blew through the dark corridor. Lily shuddered as the cold wind, which felt like a snowstorm, blew through her ginger hair.<br/>It didn't take too long before a young lady in a long red dress and white apron opened the door for them.<br/>"Ah, it’s you.", said the lady, who also looked rather depressed, "Will you come in, Minerva?"<br/>"No, I’m not, Poppy. I have to get back to my class. Please make sure Miss Evans doesn’t get too frightened, will you?"<br/>The lady, who turned out to be Madam Poppy Pomfrey, nodded silently. Professor McGonagall turned around and quickly disappeared down the long corridor. Madam Pomfrey smiled lovingly and Lily entered the Hospital Wing.</p><p>The beds were all empty. Only one was occupied.<br/>It was at the very back of the room and was closed off from the rest by green curtains. Everyone at Hogwarts knew that when a bed was covered in green curtains, it didn't bode well. Because it meant that the person lying in such a bed had sustained a serious or life-threatening injury.<br/>"Who's lying there?", Lily asked and was feeling anxious. Madam Pomfrey sighed and placed her hand on the student's shoulder in sympathy.<br/>The rain was crashing furiously against the windows, so that you would think they would break at any moment.<br/>"Mister Potter, my dear.", she whispered softly, feeling Lily wince at the name of her boyfriend. Madam Pomfrey opened the green curtains.<br/>Without any movement, James was lying in the bed. His pitch black hair was blood-crusted and stuck together. His glasses had been taken off. James' face was almost completely wrapped in bandages. Only his mouth, nose and the area around his eyes had not been cured.<br/>The blood, however, continued to seep through the white bandages and stained them dark red.<br/>James' breathing was so shallow that Lily feared his heart would stop beating at any moment. Lily gently placed her hand on his cheek.<br/>"Oh James." , she muttered and a tear dripped down on the blanket that covered the rest of his mutilated body.<br/>"Mister Potter is still alive. But the bleeding can’t be stopped. I have already tried several spells and potions, but none seem to work.", explained Madam Pomfrey.<br/>A lightning bolt struck a nearby tree, illuminating the hospital wing with bright white light for a second.<br/>"Do you know what happened?", Lily asked, rubbing her teary eyes. Madam Pomfrey began to peel off the bandages soaked in blood from James' face.<br/>"No, I'm sorry but we don't know anything, my dear. We found Mister Potter and Mister Pettigrew in a corridor near the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Mister Pettigrew only had minor injuries and was already able to leave the Hospital Wing."<br/>It felt like Lily had been kicked in the stomach when she caught sight of the deep cuts on James' face. Instead of an eschar forming, the blood rushed out unusually fast.<br/>Quickly, Madam Pomfrey wrapped seven fresh bandages around his head.<br/>"It's almost as if Mister Potter is suffering from unknown curse, Miss Evans.", Madam Pomfrey sighed, sounding as if she herself didn't believe that a student at Hogwarts could use an unknown curse.<br/>Another lightning bolt struck a tree.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The cunning Gryffindor</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"They know.", sighed Severus, who had leaned his head against the door of the classroom. For minutes he was standing in the same place and listened.<br/>
"What do you mean?", Remus mumbled who was only half-awake.
Tired, he rubbed his eyes.<br/>
"Do you hear that?", asked Severus and Remus thought that the Slytherin might not have heard him. Remus jumped down from the teacher’s desk, on which he had just taken a short nap, and pressed his ear against the door.<br/>
It was absolutely quiet.<br/>
"I don’t hear anything, Snape", Remus whispered and shrugged his shoulders.<br/>
"And that’s the point. Normally the corridors would be full of students now, because classes are over.", said Severus.<br/>
Remus nodded slowly.<br/>
It was so dark by now that both students had to cast the Wand-Lighting Charm.<br/>
"So you mean that they have found James and Peter and probably told all the students to stay in their common rooms.", Remus muttered, thinking back to the hideous bloodbath in the corridor, which made him shudder. Surely he would never get the horrible images of James' mutilated body out of his mind.<br/>
"I'm sure they'll be counting the students. When they notice we're missing, it's crystal clear we have something to do with it.", Severus whispered as quietly as he could, as if he feared someone was spying on him on the other side of the door.<br/>
He sank to the ground and buried his hands in his pale face in frustration.<br/>
Remus sat down on the floor as well. He considered giving Severus a hug for a moment, but decided not to do it.<br/>
It was scary how quiet it was in Hogwarts. No steps, no voices, and even the crazy laughter of Peeves the poltergeist didn’t echo through the hallways as usual.<br/>
"Do you know him? The Half-Blood Prince?", asked Remus after some time to break the unpleasant silence.<br/>
Severus raised his head and looked up with his black eyes.<br/>
Remus' green eyes sparkled curiously in the flickering light of his wand.<br/>
"Why do you want to know that, Lupin?", Severus growled and did not seem to be pleased with the question.<br/>
"You are obsessed with a book that belongs not to you but to the Half-Blood Prince. Is there a reason for that?", asked Lupin and smiled softly because he didn't want to start a fight.<br/>
Severus' face turned angry.<br/>
"That’s none of your business! Just give it back to me as soon as possible if you want to see Potter alive!", Severus hissed and his hand had clenched to a fist.<br/>
Remus moved back a bit. He repeated the sentence in his head to find out if Severus wanted to tell him something subliminally.<br/>
"I just don’t understand why you don’t use your own book. As far as I know, every student has the same copy of the book.", Remus said quietly and moved back a bit again.<br/>
"No, this book is different. It contains spells, curses and countercurses that no one else knows about. That is why the book is so special and must not fall into the wrong hands. The curse I cast on Potter was one from the book.", Severus whispered.<br/>
Remus frowned.<br/>
"But why were you able to perform an unknown curse when only the Half-Blood Prince knows it?"<br/>
Severus felt himself sweating all over his body. He hastily searched for an excuse.<br/>
"He, um- He taught me some of his curses", Severus stuttered, hoping his face had not turned too red.<br/>
Remus looked him deep in the eyes, as if he wasn’t sure if Severus was really telling the truth.<br/>
"So you really know him?", asked Remus.<br/>
Severus grinned softly. He successfully tricked Remus his lie.<br/>
"Yes, of course I know the Half-Blood Prince.", said Severus and faked a little laugh.<br/>
He now had to stay careful with what he was going to say to not get himself exposed.<br/>
"Unbelievable! And who is it? Black? Malfoy? Do I even know the person?", asked Remus and grabed the sleeves of his cloak in excitement.<br/>
"I'm sorry but I can't tell you that.", Severus replied dryly.<br/>
"Oh come on, you can trust me, Snape. We're friends now, aren't we?", Remus whined, starting to pout a little.<br/>
"I'm not sure.", Severus stammered shyly, looking into the disappointed face of his counterpart. Remus huffed in annoyance and crossed his arms.<br/>
"I'll give you the book back, Snape. But only if you tell me who the Half-Blood Prince is. Deal?", Remus asked, offering Severus his hand.<br/>
Hesitantly, Severus stared at Remus' hand.<br/>
He was in a terrible situation. It felt like a hurricane was inside of his head.<br/>
If he would agree to the deal and would get his book back, Remus would find out that none other than Severus himself was the mysterious Half-Blood Prince.<br/>
And the chance that James would find out about his secret too was high. Way too high.<br/>
If he would reject the pact, his hard work of creating spells, curses and countercurses would be lost. Besides,the book would cause huge damage if it would fall into wrong hands. Severus would also get blame for James' death and it would probably haunt him for the rest of his life.<br/>
"Where is the book right now?", Severus asked sharply, still staring at the hand in front of him.<br/>
Remus said nothing for a few seconds.<br/>
Was this a trap? After all, Severus was a Slytherin. And Slytherins were known to be insidious and cunning.<br/>
"It's in my Common Room, why?", Remus replied suspiciously, raising an eyebrow as if he wasn't sure what Severus was supposed to do with that information.<br/>
He regretted saying that sentence when Severus' black eyes began to sparkle dangerously.<br/>
It had been a trap.<br/>
"Thank you, Lupin", said Severus, nervously biting his lower lip. With his shaking hand he pointed his wand directed at Remus, who sat in front of him confused. Severus did not want to destroy the trust and friendship between him and Remus. But right now, he had to set his priorities. And nothing was more important to Severus than his book, which was somewhere in the Gryffindor CommonRoom.<br/>
"Petrificus Totalus!"<br/>
A light grey mist of light shot from Severus' wand and hit Remus directly in his scarred face. Remus fell on his back and remained still.<br/>
His skin had now taken on a grayish tone. His arms were tightly attached to his torso. Only Remus' green eyes flashed in panic.<br/>
"Please forgive me, Lupin.", whispered Severus, who was more than aware of his guilt and what he had done. Remus' eyes tracked every movement of Severus as he leaned down to him. He then gently ripped out a brown hair of Remus.<br/>
Severus slipped his hand into the inside of his cloak and pulled out a small bottle in which a dark grey liquid shimmered. Polyjuice Potion. He gently loosened the cap of the flask and let Remus' hair fall into the thick liquid. Within seconds, the potion started to bubble.<br/>
Severus placed his lips on the edge of the flask and swallowed the entire potion. The potion had a bitter taste and Severus shivered in disgust.<br/>
After a few moments, his skin started to burn terribly. Severus looked down to his hands. He gnashed his teeth as he could feel and see how his bones began to shift under the skin. The painful process was finally over after less than a minute.<br/>
He let out a sigh of relief.</p><p>"There you are!", a voice called. Severus, who was now in the appearance of Remus Lupin and was wearning his Gryffindor uniform, winced. He looked around and caught sight of Lily. He quickly sealed the lock of the classroom he had just come from with a spell. After all, Remus was still on the floor, suffering from the Full Body-Bind Curse. But he would deal with Remus later. Severus quickly leaned against the wall to make sure he was not looking like being up to something.<br/>
His heart was beating faster than ever.<br/>
Severus didn't know if it was because he was now officially walking around Hogwarts as Remus Lupin, or because Lily Evans, the love of his life, had just come running towards him.<br/>
"H-Hello.", Severus stuttered, smiling shyly.<br/>
"What in Merlin's name are you doing here?", Lily exclaimed angrily, looking up at Severus with tears in her eyes. His smile disappeared.<br/>
What should he say? Should he give Lily a hug? Was he supposed to comfort Lily? Or would it be best if he just kept his mouth shut?<br/>
"I, um, I just. . . I wanted to. . . ", stuttered Severus, wishing he could just disappear to escape this awkward moment. He had never been so uncomfortable talking to Lily, even though he wasn't even in his own skin right now.<br/>
"Never mind.", Lily interrupted him impatiently, "You won't believe what happened! There's been a mysterious accident! Blood everywhere and James-"<br/>
Lily stopped talking as she spoke out her boyfriend's name. Tears ran over her rosy cheeks.<br/>
"Professor McGonagall came into the Common Room and she said no one is allowed to leave. She then took me to the Hospital Wing where I saw James. He was covered in deep cuts and wounds that wouldn't stop bleeding. It was horrible, Remus. So horrible.", Lily sobbed.<br/>
Severus thought about how Remus would act in such a situation. Lily looked at him with teary eyes, waiting for his reaction.<br/>
"Oh.", he finally said. Severus hadn't come up with anything better.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. The Countercurse</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lily and Severus spoke very little to each other when they went up to the Gryffindor Common Room. Seeing James, whose life was hanging by a thread, had disturbed Lily deeply. Severus, who was still in the appearance of Remus Lupin, became anxious at the thought that the effect of the Polyjuice Potion might vanish at any moment. He stared uninterruptedly at his tanned and scarred hands, fearing that they would immediately turn pale again.<br/>
"Godric Gryffindor." , Lily said, and the portrait guarding the entrance to her home’s common room swung to the side. Lily and Severus climbed through the portrait hole.<br/>
There was a terrible noise in the Common Room. Immediately, the two were inundated with countless questions. Of course, everyone wanted to know what exactly had happened and if there was any news. But Lily scurried past the panicked classmates with a smile. Severus followed closely.<br/>
"Moony! Where have you been?", Sirius asked, sitting on the sofa in front of the fireplace while eating a Chocolate Frog. Severus tried to ignore Sirius' question and stayed close behind Lily. After all, he didn't know what to say. And he couldn't think of a good lie either. But Sirius had already jumped up and was holding Severus by the hood of his cloak.<br/>
"Moony, are you all right? You seem kind of mentally absent.", Sirius said, letting go of the hood.<br/>
"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just...", Severus looked to Lily and saw her continuing to make her way through the raging mass of Gryffindors, "Lily is very sad about what happened to James."<br/>
Sirius smiled empathetically and hugged Severus.Severus stood frozen on the spot without moving, not knowing how to react.<br/>
"Prongs is a strong boy. He’s going to survive, trust me.", Sirius whispered into his ear.<br/>
"Remus, are you coming?", called Lily from across the room and waved him over to her. Severus pushed himself away from Sirius and smiled shyly. Then he struggled through the crowd to Lily.<br/>
Again, Severus didn't know why his heart was beating so fast against his chest, as if it was about to explode. As he looked into Lily's beautiful green eyes, the noise around him seemed to fall silent. Severus no longer felt fear.<br/>
No worries. No concerns about the Polyjuice Potion. Even the worry of not being able to find his book in the hustle and bustle of students had faded.<br/>
For a second, Severus felt free from everything negative in this world. As free as if he could fly through the air faster than Hippogriff.<br/>
But suddenly Severus was ripped out of his rosy world when he tripped over a student's leg.<br/>
Roughly, Severus landed with his face on the floor, realising that he had landed back in the grey, dreary, and unfair reality.<br/>
A sigh left his pale lips.<br/>
Severus painfully picked himself back up, wiped some dust off his cloak, and walked over to Lily.<br/>
Without saying a word, Lily grabbed his wrist and pulled Severus up the stairs to the Gryffindor Boys' Dormitory. Confused, he followed her, but didn't dare ask why they were going to the boys' Dormitory. When they reached the Dormitory, Lily rushed over to one of the five beds. She opened a dark brown trunk.<br/>
"What are you looking for, Lily?", Severus asked, leaning casually against the doorframe to hide his fear and insecurity.<br/>
"You'll see in a moment, Remus.", Lily replied dryly without looking at him. Energetically, she digged further in the trunk. After some time, Lily pulled something out, almost causing Severus to lose his balance.<br/>
It was a book. His book. The Book of the Half-Blood Prince.<br/>
With glowing eyes, he stared at the book which Lily held in her hand.<br/>
"I took a closer look at this book. It's really interesting. Someone must have really put a lot of effort into this.", Lily said, sitting down on the bed next to her.<br/>
Severus nearly tripped over his own feet with excitement as he joined Lily on the bed. With one finger, Lily pointed at a note.<br/>
"There's a curse that might save James' life. It's called Vulnera Sanentur."<br/>
Severus blushed and scratched the back of his head to fake confusion.<br/>
"This curse is supposed to heal deep wounds. It also says that it's the countercurse for...", Lily continued reading by turning to the next page, "Sectumsempra."<br/>
The storm outside slowly died down and was now heavy, cold rain.<br/>
Lily closed the book and left it on her lap. She looked up and their eyes met.<br/>
And there it was again. That feeling. That wonderful feeling when Severus looked into Lily’s deep green eyes. Miraculously, Severus feels so wonderfully weightless, as if the butterflies in his stomach were carrying him above the clouds.<br/>
"Remus?"<br/>
Lily snapped her fingers in front of his face. Severus blinked in disorientation.<br/>
"Remus?", Lily repeated, looking like she knew something seemed off. Severus gritted his teeth anxiously.<br/>
"Sorry, I'm just a little bit tired. That's all.", Severus lied, scratching the back of his head again. Lily continued to stare at him as if she knew it was a white lie.<br/>
Severus lowered his deep-red face in embarrassment.<br/>
He let out a tiny squeak as he saw his hands turning paler. Panicking about what to do now, Severus jumped off the bed. He grabbed his head and noticed that Remus' short brown hair was longer and darker by now. The effects of the Polyjuice Potion wore off. Lily looked at him confused, but didn't notice the changes on his body yet.<br/>
"What’s wrong with you today? You’re not usually like that." , she said, looking at Severus suspiciously from top to bottom.<br/>
"Give me the book, Lily!", yelled Severus in panic, and looked at the book which laid on her lap. But Lily got up quickly and hid the book behind her back.<br/>
"No, I can't! I’ll give it to Snape. I’m sure he knows how to use that countercurse. And Snape will give it back to the Half-Blood Prince!", Lily answered him and took a step backwards. A hint of fear shimmered in her innocent green eyes.<br/>
"Please, Lily. I need that book! It can't wait!", Severus pleaded, looking at the book again. Lily still held it tightly behind her back.<br/>
"Remus, stop that! I-" Lily, who had taken another step backwards, tripped over a pile of books.<br/>
Reflexively, she braced herself against the wall with her hands and the book fell on the ground. Severus, who had been watching everything carefully grabbed the book and ran briskly out of the Boys' Dormitory. Behind him, he heard the exasperated groans of Lily and the toppling of more books.</p><p>Severus just made it out of the Gryffindor Common Room before the effect of the Polyjuice Potion had finally vanished. Soaked in sweat, Severus leaned against the pleasantly cool brick wall next to the portrait, where the Fat Lady looked at him in amazement.<br/>
"I knew you weren't Lupin! I knew it!", complained the Fat Lady, and her round cheeks glowed in a deep crimson red.<br/>
"Shut up, you stupid portrait.", Severus gasped annoyed and wiped the sweat off his forehead. With a smile, he looked down at the book in his hands. Finally, he had it back. Severus pressed the book against his chest, ignoring the Fat Lady's reprimands as she gestured wildly with her arms.<br/>
Now all he had to do was obliviate Remus and switch uniforms with him. Afterwards, he would sneak into the Hospital Wing to heal James. And since there were no students or teachers in the hallways, these tasks shouldn't be too much of a challenge.<br/>
Euphoric, Severus started to walk down the stairs of Gryffindor Tower. But he stopped when he heard a familiar voice behind him.<br/>
It was none other than Lily Evans.<br/>
"Remus? Remus where are you?", Lily shouted hysterically.<br/>
Overwhelmed and in a rush of adrenaline, Severus ran down the staircase of the tower. And again, he wanted nothing more than just disappearing forever.<br/>
"Remus John Lupin!", Lily shouted again.<br/>
Severus felt like he was running for his life. What was he going to say to Lily this time? Was there any excuse at all that would sound plausible enough to explain the situation?<br/>
"Incarcerus!"<br/>
Within less than a second, thin, glowing threads were wrapped around Severus' legs. With a frightened cry, his snow-white face crashed on the edge of one of the steps.<br/>
He didn't need to look in a mirror to find out that his nose was broken. Lily hurried down the staircase. Her footsteps echoed throughout the tower.<br/>
"Remus, I'm so sorry! I didn't know-"<br/>
Lily hold her breath and her green eyes filled with tears as saw Severus' bleeding face and his broken nose.<br/>
She slapped her hands in front of her mouth. Slowly, Lily shook her head. A tear dripped onto the dusty stair tread.<br/>
"You lied to me. You used me. ", Lily muttered, hands still clasped in front of her mouth. Her voice trembled with anger and disappointment. A second tear dripped onto the stair tread.<br/>
"Lily, please hear me out. Please. I can explain everything to you. Please, Lily.", Severus groaned in pain and coughed up blood.<br/>
His black eyes filled with tears and his heart never felt this heavy and fragile.<br/>
"You used me, Severus. And for what? For a stupid book.", Lily growled, picking up the book that laid beside Severus.<br/>
Hearing those words hurt Severus more than anything else in this world. Not even an Unforgivable Curse would hurt Severus more than Lily talking about him like this. A tear ran down his bleeding face.<br/>
"For a stupid book.", she repeated and opened it.<br/>
Severus' eyes tensly focused on the book in Lily's hands.<br/>
"I should tear it up.", Lily muttered furious and her fingers slid over the pages of the book.<br/>
"No, please don’t do this, Lily. I’m begging you."<br/>
Severus' voice trembled and his body started to shake.<br/>
"And why shouldn’t I do it?", she histed and her green eyes were flashing dangerously.<br/>
"Because I’m the Half-Blood Prince, Lily."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. A matter of trust</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Severus' throat went dry and a few seconds passed in silence. It felt good to finally be able to reveal his secret to someone. Lily looked deep into Severus' eyes. Her beautiful, delicate face turned white. In Lily's eyes, though, Severus could tell that Lily believed him.<br/>Lily picked up her wand again and pointed it at Severus' broken and bleeding nose.<br/>"Episkey."<br/>A horrible pain ran through Severus' nose and he squinted his eyes.<br/>"Thank you, Lily. ", he gasped, and the thin, glowing threads that had knotted his legs together were gone. Severus got himself back on his feet and held onto the massive banister.<br/>"So you're going to save James, right?", Lily asked, and it almost sounded like a command.<br/>Severus hated James. He never liked the Gryffindor. And Severus would probably never like him. But James was important to Lily. Maybe even more important than himself. And Severus would do anything to make Lily happy. Anything.<br/>"Yes, I will save Potter. I promise.", Severus said, his gaze locked on one of the many windows in the stairwell. The sun seemed to be setting already.<br/>"We should hurry. The teachers are probably already searching all of Hogwarts to find us.", he muttered.</p><p> </p><p>The abandoned classroom was covered in complete darkness. Not even a light spell would produce enough brightness to illuminate the room even nearly.<br/>Exhausted and with a slight headache Remus sat up. He stroked his hand through the brown hair. It took him a few seconds to remember what had happened.<br/>“I won’t forgive you for that, Snape. ” Remus whispered furiously into the darkness and searched for his wand which was somewhere laying around on the dusty ground.<br/>His memory was slowly regenerating.<br/>Remus' heart blazed with anger, but at the same time it ached with disappointment.<br/>He had trusted Severus. He thought Severus was a good boy with a pure heart. But Remus now regreted everything. What a fool he was to trust a Slytherin.<br/>“Alohomora!” Remus said, pointing the tip of his wand at the door of the classroom. With a creak, it opened and Remus was overjoyed to finally see something again.<br/>Now he also noticed that Severus had exchanged uniforms.<br/>Remus was dressed in an emerald-green Slytherin uniform which was a bit too tight.<br/>He looked left and right along the corridor. No one was seen.<br/>Remus took a deep breath.<br/>“You’re going to be sorry for that.”, he hissed.</p><p> </p><p>Lily and Severus sneaked quietly down the corridor to the Hospital Wing. But the two didn't know how they would get into the Hospital Wing undetected to save James. "Do you have a plan yet for how we-," Severus spoke. But Lily interrupted his question as she suddenly pulled him behind an old, rusty armor by the collar of his cloak.<br/>Severus lost control of his balance and nearly tripped. Lily pressed him against the wall behind the armor. Confused as to what had just happened, Severus looked down at Lily, who was close to his chest. She raised her index finger and placed it gently on his cold lips.<br/>Severus' blushed at the touch. An ice-cold and at the same time fiery-heat shower ran down his spine. Severus gently put his arms around Lily’s hip to pull her closer to him. But Lily didn’t seem to notice Severus' reaction.<br/>Within seconds, Professor McGonagall appeared and ran down the corridor.<br/>Severus now understood why Lily had pulled him and herself behind the old armor. The two students held their breaths anxiously.<br/>“Any news, Minerva?”<br/>It was the voice of Madam Poppy Pomfrey. The nurse seemed to be somewhere out of their sight.<br/>“No, I’m sorry, Poppy. But I will keep looking for Lupin and Snape.”<br/>Severus put his hand in front of his mouth in fear. It really turned out that he and Remus were the only students who had disappeared since the accident.<br/>Severus' heart was racing like crazy. His breathing became faster and erratic. It felt like he was falling into a black, endless, deep hole.<br/>His eyes filled up with tears.<br/>“Sev, calm down.”, whispered Lily worried and looked at him with big eyes. She pressed herself even closer to his chest and placed her hand gently on his cheek.<br/>“I will be sent to Azkaban and handed over to the Dementors.”, Severus stuttered panically in a trembling voice. Thick tears rolled down his pale face.<br/>“Don’t say that, Sev. You won’t go to Azkaban, I’m sure. We will find a solution.”, Lily said, and tears were gathering in her eyes.<br/>Severus' mouth became dry. He would have liked to scream out all his frustration.<br/>Lily turned her head to the side and saw Professor McGonagall still talking to Madam Pomfrey.<br/>"If you wish, Minerva, I will search for Lupin and Snape with you. I am not needed at the Hospital Wing right now.", Madam Pomfrey said.<br/>Professor McGonagall hesitated for a moment.<br/>"All right. But first, I'll talk to Albus about what to do next. You're welcome to join me, Poppy."<br/>Madam Pomfrey nodded in agreement and left the corridor with Professor McGonagall.<br/>Lily turned back to Severus. His black eyes were swollen and red from crying. Lily wiped a tear off his cheek with her hand.<br/>"It's going to be okay, trust me.", she whispered, hugging Severus affectionately. Severus sobbed and looked down at Lily. A tear rolled down her face as well.<br/>But unlike him, she smiled shyly.<br/>"I believe in the good.", she said.<br/>Lily now stood on her tiptoes and looked up at Severus. As he looked into the beautiful green eyes, time seemed to stand still. And again, that breathtaking feeling rushed through Severus' body. He felt wonderfully light and free. No trace of the sadness and panic that had just poisoned his heart.<br/>"I believe in the good in you.", Lily whispered and had her arms wrapped around Severus' neck.<br/>"Do you really mean that?", Severus asked, not knowing if it was a curse or a blessing to his heart that Lily was so close to his face.<br/>"Yes, I'm not lying. Let me prove it.", Lily replied.<br/>Prove it? How would Lily be able to prove the good in him?<br/>He didn't even understand his head or his feelings himself.<br/>"But how will you prove it-"<br/>But Severus couldn't finish his sentence. His words were interrupted by a soft kiss, which Lily placed gently on his lips.<br/>He wasn’t sure if he should return the kiss. Because Lily was in a relationship with James.<br/>The temptation of kissing back was wonderful. Severus took all of his courage and hoped that he would not regret this decision.<br/>Carefully, he placed his lips on Lilys and kissed the girl patiently.<br/>He had never kissed anyone before. And the feeling that his entire body was electrifying was divine. Lily’s lips were fantastically soft as silk. Severus' heart felt wonderfully warm.<br/>A dark spot behind an old, rusty armor might not have been the best place for the first kiss, but Severus didn’t care about that at the moment.<br/>It was just him and Lily and the kiss that connected them. How much he wished that this moment between him and Lily would never end.<br/>“This is my proof that you have a pure heart, Sev.”, said Lily with a smile after she had slowly parted from Severus' lips.<br/>Severus smiled back.<br/>Lucius and Bellatrix would never believe what had just happened. And even if his two friends believed him, Lucius would probably say that Severus drank too much from Felix Felicis that he couldn’t tell reality from dream.<br/>“We should now get on our way to the Hospital Wing. Who knows how long we’ll be unobserved.”, said Lily, carefully pushing herself away from Severus.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Reunion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Severus and Lily ran down the seemingly endless corridors to the Hospital Wing.<br/>
They both knew every second counted. Because at any moment, a teacher could turn around the corner. And that would have been the end of both Severus and Lily. “Severus, wait a minute.”, said Lily and stopped abruptly.<br/>
Severus stopped and looked at the girl nervously.<br/>
“We don’t have time. We have to hurry, or someone else might see us. Lily, come on!”, Severus whined and hopped impatiently back and forth.<br/>
But Lily ignored his request and looked around carefully.<br/>
"I think I heard something.", she whispered.<br/>
Severus, who was now nervous and scared, grabbed his wand. Lily did so too.<br/>
Pressed back to back, they looked down the corridor.<br/>
"We're not alone, Sev.", Lily said as quietly as she could.<br/>
Almost at the same moment, something came hurtling towards them from the other side of the corridor.<br/>
It was a bluish flash of light of tremendous speed.<br/>
Severus reacted quickly, extending his wand in front of him. He knew that this had to be Stupefy, a Stunning Spell.<br/>
"Protego Maxima!", he shouted, and immediately a silvery mist appeared, enveloping Lily and himself.<br/>
With a deafening noise, the bluish flash of light slammed into the protection shield Severus had just conjured.<br/>
"Who in Merlin's name attacks us?", Lily asked irritably, keeping close behind Severus.<br/>
A few seconds passed in silence.<br/>
Severus' heart pounded with fear. However, it wasn't out of fear that he would be hit by a spell, but Lily. If anything happened to her, Severus would never be able to handle it.<br/>
"Come out, you coward! Show yourself!", he shouted. It took him a hot second until Severus realised what he just said.<br/>
As brave as it may have sounded, Severus would have preferred to run away with Lily. After all, he didn’t know who had attacked him and Lily. Maybe it was an Auror. Maybe they were wizards of the dark side who just enjoyed killing. In any case, the situation was serious.<br/>
It took a moment for the unknown attacker to actually respond to Severus' words.<br/>
In the dark, at the very end of the corridor, something was moving. It was the silhouette of a person who was slowly coming closer.<br/>
Next to the unknown person, there was something else to be seen.<br/>
It was a creature whose yellow eyes glowed dangerously in the dark.<br/>
Fearfully, Lily clung to Severus' arm and held her breath tightly.<br/>
“You disgusting, ungrateful, filthy snake.” the person histed threateningly and came closer together with the mysterious creature next to him.<br/>
The dim light that fell through the large windows made it clear that the creature was a dog. The unknown dog had black, shaggy fur and was almost the size of a wolf. Severus held his breath as he saw who was the mysterious person walking beside the fearsome dog.<br/>
It was Remus Lupin.<br/>
Remus was dressed in the green Slytherin uniform that Severus had exchanged with him in the abandoned classroom.<br/>
His usually loving and innocent eyes sparkled with pure hate.<br/>
Severus took a step backwards. He was unaware that the effect of the The Full Body-Bind Curse had already worn off so quickly.<br/>
"Lupin, I didn't leave you in the classroom on purpose. Please, you have to believe me ", Severus said, so in shock that his voice was just shaking.<br/>
The black dog next to Remus bared its teeth and a deep growl echoed through the dark corridor. Severus thought about if he should first defend himself against Remus or the dog. But what Severus truly wanted was to avoid another duel even though it was perhaps the only way to get to the Hopital Wing.<br/>
Before he could make a decision, Remus had already pointed his index finger at Severus and shouted: “Padfoot, kill Snape!”<br/>
The dog quickly dashed towards Severus and Lily without hesitation. His long claws slid over the cold ground.<br/>
“Remus, no!”, Lily screamed and clung tighter to Severus' arm, which had gone numb by now.<br/>
But neither Remus nor the dog reacted. Padfoot continued dashing, was only a few meters away from the two and jumped.<br/>
Adrenaline shot through Severus' veins.<br/>
He had to do something.<br/>
As fast as possible.<br/>
The easiest way would have been to kill Padfoot. Casting one of the Unforgivable Curses wasn't much of a challenge for Severus. But he didn't want to kill anyone. Whether a beast or human. He wasn't a murderer.<br/>
So he decided to cast a Impediment Jinx.<br/>
"Impedimenta!"<br/>
The black dog froze in its motion and crashed on the ground. Padfoot was now paralyzed for a short time without being injured.<br/>
"Lupin, listen to me. I didn't hex you on purpose.", Severus shouted, trying to remain calm even though panic was just overtaking him.<br/>
Lily, still clutching his arm, nodded in agreement.<br/>
“It’s true, Remus. Sev’s already told me the whole story. It really wasn’t his intention to hex you. Sev only did this so he can save James' life.”, said Lily, looking at Remus with a penetrating look. For a brief moment, she thought Remus understood that this was just a misunderstanding.<br/>
“Sev is a good person. He has a pure heart.” , she said and blushed slightly as she remembered the wonderful kiss of earlier.<br/>
“Enough! Stop it!”, Remus shouted angrily and pulled out his wand, “Snape is not a good person and does not have a pure heart! He’s just using you, Lily!”<br/>
Lily’s deep green eyes filled with tears.<br/>
She didn’t know how much those words would tear her heart apart. It was painful and hurt more than anything else in the world.<br/>
Lily opened her mouth to contradict Remus, but she couldn’t. Her throat was feeling like it was tied up and no sound left her rosy lips.<br/>
Remus' gaze fell on Padfoot who remained paralyzed on the ground.<br/>
“Get out of my way! I want to kill him! Snape has already done so much damage! Because of him my best friend is dying!”, Remus roared furious.<br/>
Suddenly, Lily stepped in front of Severus and spread her arms out to protect him.<br/>
"I'd rather die than let you hurt Sev!", she shouted.<br/>
Severus widened his black eyes in shock. Had Lily really just said that? Would she actually sacrifice herself for him if there was no other way?<br/>
Carefully, Severus placed his hand on her shoulder.<br/>
"Lily, I-"<br/>
Severus couldn't finish his sentence. Remus had fired another spell at him.<br/>
"Quick, you run to the Hospital Wing! I will try to stop Remus!", Lily said, performing a Shield Charm.<br/>
The Stunning Spell of Remus crashed into the protection shield Lily had just created. For a moment, Lily did fear that the shield would break. But she knew that Remus and she were both equally strong. So it wasn't a question of who was more powerful, but who had the better technique.<br/>
"Are you sure?", Severus asked hesitantly.<br/>
"Merlin's beard, now go!", Lily commanded, creating another protection shield.</p><p>Severus ran as fast as he could to the Hospital Wing. He was overwhelmed and chaos ruled his mind. Every single thought, no matter how small and unimportant it was, drove him crazy. After a while, Severus finally reached the front door, which led to the Hospital Wing.<br/>
Without knocking or thinking if there was a teacher in the room, he tore the door open. Severus stormed across the room and stopped right in front of the only occupied bed. He opened the green curtains of the bed.<br/>
A heavy and acidic smell of decomposition rose up Severus' nose.<br/>
In front of him was James.<br/>
His face was still almost completely wrapped in bandages, all of which were bloody.<br/>
James' skin had turned extremly pale.<br/>
His chest was moving irregularly and disturbingly slow.<br/>
Severus pulled out his wand and looked around. There was no Madam Pomfrey, no teacher or student to see.<br/>
He leaned down a bit and placed the tip of his wand on James' crushed chest.<br/>
Severus closed his eyes for a moment.<br/>
He took a deep breath.<br/>
“Vulnera Sanentur.”<br/>
Slowly, the blood that covered the bandages around James' torso disappeared as if it was being soaked up by an invisible sponge.<br/>
Severus smiled.<br/>
He was happy that his own healing spell and counter-curse worked without any problems.<br/>
"Vulnera Sanentur. Vulnera Sanentur. Vulnera Sanentur.", he whispered in a calm voice, watching as more and more blood disappeared.<br/>
The deep wounds and cuts closed as well, and within a few seconds a thick scab appeared on each injury.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Snivellus Snape</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>James opened his tired, brown eyes. He blinked confusedly and raised his head slowly. James took deep breaths a few times, as if he hadn’t breathed fresh air in years.<br/>“How are you?”, asked Severus and put his hand gently on the blanket.<br/>James, who had not yet noticed Severus, looked at him in shock. He blinked again, as if he believed Severus was nothing but an illusion.<br/>“Snape? What are you doing here?”<br/>James gave him a bad look. He had definitely expected anything. But Severus? At his bed? Alone?<br/>"I just saved your life, you moron.", Severus hissed, not daring to look him in the eye.<br/>For a moment, neither boy said anything.<br/>By now night had come and the moon sent its cold, white light through the windows of the Hospital Wing. The stars flickered peacefully in the sky. The muffled chirping of crickets could be heard from outside.<br/>"Give me my glasses, Snivellus.", James said, blindly searching for his glasses on the nightstand.<br/>Now Severus' face had taken on a grim expression. Oh how much he would love to hex James again. His hand twitched as he was about to pull out his wand.<br/>"I saved you from death, you idiot. Show some respect.", Severus growled, his black eyes sparkling with anger.<br/>What was it that Lily saw in James? There was nothing about James that would make him a lovely or charming boy.<br/>"Snivellus, my glasses.", James ordered again, grinning spitefully.<br/>Severus wondered if he should talk back.<br/>But after a moment's thought, he knew that a discussion with James wasn't worth his time.<br/>Severus sighed irritably and threw James' glasses off the nightstand and onto the bed, annoyed. Without saying thank you, James put on his glasses.<br/>"Aha!", he giggled, his brown eyes now peering through the round lenses, "your face is still as horribly ugly as ever."<br/>The anger inside Severus was now flaming like a hellfire. He had no desire to be James' victim forever more. Without him, he had enjoyed his time together with Lily. Even a kiss between himself and Lily happened thanks to his absence. It had been so much better without that know-it-all Gryffindor.<br/>"That's enough.", Severus snarled angrily, pulling out his wand. James' giggling disappeared and in confusion he looked at the tip of the wand which was pointed at his chest.<br/>"What are you doing?", James asked, any joy gone from his voice. Instead, he sounded anxious and it seemed like he was slowly crawling under the blanked.<br/>"Say goodbye to your life, Potter."<br/>James' eyes widened in panic. His mouth was open. Tears formed in his eyes behind his glasses.<br/>"Snape, you're not going to do that, right?"<br/>Severus was surprised that James had called him by his actual name. But he wanted to finish what he had started.<br/>He would kill James Potter. Here and now. Any second. And no one would stop him. In fact, Severus didn't even care at that moment if he was going to Azkaban for this deed or not.<br/>James had ruined his life. Bullied him for years, pushed him around, made fun of him him. Severus wanted revenge.<br/>"Goodbye, Potter.", He whispers, holding his wand with both hands.<br/>James' mouth continued to stand open in shock. Severus was shaking all over. It's now or never.<br/>"Avada Kedav-"<br/>The door of the Hospital Wing was pushed open.<br/>Whoever had interrupted him, Severus was incredibly grateful. The opening of the door had brought him back to reality. Slowly, he lowered his wand.<br/>"P-Professor!", James shouted. His hair was wet with sweat and stuck to his forehead. Severus now dared a glance towards the door as well.<br/>He looked into the completely horrified face of Professor McGonagall. She seemed just as surprised as James and Severus. With quick steps, she walked over to the two boys, snatched the wand from Severus' hand with a serious look on her face, and let it slip inside her cloak.<br/>"Explain yourself.", McGonagall said, tears of disappointment glistening in her green eyes.<br/>Silence.<br/>What could Severus possibly say? The truth, that he tried to kill James? A lie, that he just wanted to see if James was doing well?<br/>Time seemed to stand still.<br/>"He tried to kill me.", James whimpered.<br/>Professor McGonagall looked at him in shock.<br/>"Is that true, Snape? Did you really want to kill Potter?", she asked, holding back her tears.<br/>Severus looked down at the ground. He would have preferred to use the Killing Curse on himself.<br/>"Yes, that's right! Snape tried to kill me! Send him to Azkaban!", James shouted angrily.<br/>But McGonagall paid no attention to James, instead grabbing Severus by the arm.<br/>Slowly he raised his head. It felt like an eternity until he looked into the eyes of the Head of Gryffindor House.<br/>"Come with me, Snape. I'm sure Professor Dumbledore knows how to proceed with you."<br/>He nodded silently and left the Hospital Wing with Professor McGonagall.</p><p>Severus crossed his arms annoyed and looked around. Professor McGonagall had taken him to the office of the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore.<br/>Bored, he sat in a chair in front of Dumbledore's desk and waited. She said that Professor Dumbledore would show up any second. And Severus wasn't sure if an hour had actually passed since his arrival at the office or if he was merely imagining it. Two large candles hovered just inches above the table, covering the room in a cozy light. Behind the desk sat a red bird on a golden perch. It was Fawkes, Dumbledore's Phoenix. With his black eyes, he stared reproachfully at Severus.<br/>Hundreds of paintings of famous wizards and witches hung on the high, dark walls. Severus felt like they were secretly watching him when he wasn't looking.<br/>"Stop looking at me, you stupid paintings!", he said out, turning his head around so that each painting felt addressed.<br/>An old voice was heard from the other side of the office.<br/>"I'm just a poor portrait after all. I'll be glad to see something besides Albus and his bird for a change.", whined an old wizard with red hair.<br/>Severus rolled his eyes, trying to hide his excitement that the paintings could actually talk. A moment later, the front door of the office opened behind him.<br/>Severus remained sitting still, not moving.<br/>"Ah, Snape. Wonderful that you're here already.", Dumbledore said, walking past Severus. He sat down across from him. His blue eyes glare through the half-moon lenses of his glasses.<br/>"He's got a lot of nerve, that kid. ", the wizard with the reddish hair spoke up. Severus gave the portrait a bad look and immediately the wizard fell silent.<br/>Professor Dumbledore didn't seem to have heard the talking portrait. Or he simply ignored it. He was probably used to the paintings in his office being able to talk. "You know why you're here, right?", Professor Dumbledore asked. Severus nodded slowly. He was too shy to look his principal in the eye.<br/>Dumbledore was just about to say something when Severus, without any warning, shouted at him.<br/>"Please, I don't want to go to Azkaban! I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have done all those terrible things. It was never my intention, believe me! I will never break the rules again, I swear!"<br/>"Snape, calm down.",Professor Dumbledore interrupted him. Severus, as stubborn as he could be sometimes, kept talking.<br/>"I should have been hexed instead of Potter, I understand that! I was just so mad at him, he's been bullying me for years. For years! I just can't take it anymore! And that thing with Lupin... I had to do it! Otherwise Potter would have died. And then there's Evans, you know? I really like Evans!"<br/>Professor Dumbledore had now stood up and raised his hand.<br/>"Be quiet, kid!", The portrait shouted so loudly that Severus startled and fell silent. He felt he had only made the situation worse.<br/>"Snape, I will not send you to Azkaban.", Dumbledore said calmly.<br/>"What a shame!", the red-haired wizard complained. Sighing, Professor Dumbledore turned around to speak to the portrait.<br/>"Instead of commenting on everything here, please go and tell Horace that I want to see him!", Dumbledore ordered. The wizard muttered something unintelligibly to himself and then quickly disappeared from the edge of the painting.<br/>Horace Slughorn was the Head of Slytherin House and a great master of potions. But it would not bode well if even his teacher had to be present.<br/>Severus' heart had become heavy as a boulder. Not only had he disappointed Lily, Remus, McGonagall, and Dumbledore, but he had also disappointed his Head of House. Severus got along with Professor Slughorn and was his teachers. Slughorn's classes were interesting and informative. He was the reason Severus was so interested in potions.<br/>"Please don't expel me. Hogwarts is my home!"<br/>Professor Dumbledore had settled back in his chair. He put his hands together and placed them on the table in front of him.<br/>"I wouldn't expel you, Snape."<br/>Had Dumbledore really just said that? He wouldn't expel Severus? Even though he had broken pretty much every school rule? And almost killed a student?<br/>"What do you mean?", Severus asked, afraid that maybe he had just misheard after all.<br/>Dumbledore nodded.<br/>The warm light of the candles reflected in his blue eyes.<br/>"I know deep down you're a good person. Of course I won't deny what you did. You will receive a punishment befitting your actions, Snape.", Dumbledore said, his eyes fixed on Severus.<br/>"So I get to stay at Hogwarts?", Severus asked euphorically, wanting to jump up from his chair with joy.<br/>Professor Dumbledore said nothing.<br/>"Horace should be there any second."<br/>It was the wizard with the red hair. He had returned from his mission to call the Head of Slytherin House. And it actually took less than a second for Horace Slughorn to step through the office door.<br/>Professor Slughorn looked upset and confused. His gray hair was more disheveled and messy than usual. It almost seemed like it had been out in a storm for days.<br/>"You wanted to see me, Albus?", Slughorn asked anxiously as if he feared he had done something wrong. Professor Dumbledore got up from his chair and walked over to him.<br/>"Yes, that's right. I want to talk to you about one of your students, Horace. Do you have a moment? It won't take long.", Dumbledore said.<br/>"Sure, of course!", Slughorn exclaimed, not seeming to have noticed Severus. Dumbledore led Slughorn to his desk and offered him to take the empty seat next to Severus.<br/>"Nice to see you, Snape."<br/>He smiled and sat down on the chair next to Severus.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. The verdict</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You probably heard about the accident?”, asked Dumbledore, his gaze resting on the Head of Slytherin House.<br/>
Slughorns Eyes became darker.<br/>
“Yes, I did. It’s terrible that someone was so cold-hearted and cursed a student. Back in my days, that would not have happened at Hogwarts, Albus”, Slughorn said defiantly. Dumbledore crossed his arms offended as if it was his fault that James Potter was attacked.<br/>
Severus was anxiously sinking into his chair.<br/>
Nervously, he scratched his fingernails on the back of his hand until the skin took on a reddish tone.<br/>
“Horace, the reason I sent you here is because we’ve already been able to catch the person who attacked.", said Dumbledore<br/>
Slughorn raised an eyebrow.<br/>
“And why am I here all alone?”, he asked desperately, turning left and right, as if looking for the other professors.<br/>
“Because the person is from your house, Horace”, replied Dumbledore, seeing the mouth of the other professor drop open in shock, “It was Snape. ”<br/>
For a moment, Slughorn just sat there, as if looking for the right words that he couldn’t think of.<br/>
Severus had closed his eyes. There was a terrible noise in his head.<br/>
He had a headache.<br/>
Added to this was the urge to shout out all his anger, sadness and disappointment.<br/>
“Snape? Severus Snape?”, asked Slughorn confused after a while in a shaky voice.<br/>
Severus tried with all his might to hold back his tears.<br/>
The headache became so bad that he feared his head would explode at any moment.<br/>
For a second, Severus wondered if death was perhaps even more pleasant than the conversation between the two teachers.<br/>
“If it is true, I am in favour of an immediate suspension, Albus.  Snape is dangerous to everyone here at Hogwarts”, Professor Slughorn said succinctly, pressing his thin lips together.<br/>
With cold eyes, he stared past Dumbledore into the void.<br/>
Severus, who had still narrowed his eyes tightly, felt that a tears rolled down his pale face.  He couldn’t believe what Slughorn had just said.<br/>
Suspension.<br/>
Immediate suspension.<br/>
Self-hate began to eat up his already broken heart.<br/>
Severus knew he had lost everything.<br/>
Everything.<br/>
Just Everything.<br/>
He had ignored his friends, Lucius and Bellatrix.<br/>
He had violated the trust of Lupin and Lily.<br/>
He almost killed Potter.<br/>
He disappointed Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and Professor Slughorn.<br/>
Severus would never return to Hogwarts.<br/>
Instead, he would have to go back to his family at Spinner’s End.<br/>
Dealing with his father’s beating again. Getting purple and dark blue bruises all over his body.<br/>
Watching his parents fight every day.<br/>
Hearing his mother scream in pain.<br/>
“P-Professor, please! I want to stay here! I want to stay in Hogwarts!”, Severus shouted in sadness, so that it only started to hurt in his ears. He tried to control his voice, but in the meantime he couldn’t help but just scream. Severus'  throat was dry and burned like fire. His eyes hurt like hell from the crying.<br/>
His words overlapped and he looked into Professor Slughorn’s frightened face.<br/>
“I’m sorry, Snape.  I cannot and will not be able to allow you to continue visiting Hogwarts.”, he said, and his old eyes narrowed, “You are a danger to yourself and other student.”<br/>
With these words Slughorn ended his speech, nodded to Professor Dumbledore sincerely, and silently left the office.<br/>
Severus turned his red face to Dumbledore. He felt the need to say something, but he was lacking words. Professor Slughorn’s speech felt like a stab in the heart.<br/>
His words echoed in Severus' head.<br/>
He’s a danger to himself.<br/>
A danger to everyone else.<br/>
Was Severus really such a terrible and cruel boy who should best be sent to Azkaban for the rest of his life? Far from everything that made life precious and worth living? Where the dementors would suck out his dark, cold soul?  Where he’d lose his mind?<br/>
“Unfortunately, I can only repeat what Professor Slughorn has just said. In some way, I agree with him, although I find his judgment too radical”, Professor Dumbledore said quietly.<br/>
He picked up his wand, which was on the table in front of him, and gently touched the flickering flames of the two candles. The flames immediately extinguished and Severus knew that Dumbledore had nothing to say to him either.</p><p>Professor Dumbledore told Severus to go to his dormitory without any detours. He would leave Hogwarts today and an owl to his family would soon be on it's way.  Severus' Legs were heavy as metal. Never before had he felt so frustrated. Severus walked down the long, dark corridors to the dungeons. With his eyes being sore and swollen, he looked down at the ground.  He would run on that floor for the last time in his life.  He would never be allowed to enter Hogwarts again.<br/>
Severus' got dizzy.<br/>
Only now did he realize how exhausting and stressful the conversation with Dumbledore and Slughorn had been. Severus began to rub his irritated eyes. He blinked and looked out of one of the windows in the corridor.<br/>
It had started to snow outside.  The white snow slowly covered the whole school.  Where Severus lived, Spinner’s End, there was no snow. Never. He remembered well how one morning in the first year of school he was on his way to Herbology and the whole castle was snowed up.  Oh, how much he would miss the snow.<br/>
Severus remembered Dumbledore’s order, shook his head and continued on his way to the dungeons.</p><p>In the dungeon it was unusually quiet, neither from the kitchen, nor from the house of Hufflepuff sounded voice or other noises.<br/>
It was disturbing and pleasant at the same time.<br/>
Severus stood at the door of his house, whispered the password and entered the common room.<br/>
No other Slytherins were present to his relief. And Severus saw it as a good opportunity to say goodbye to the common room. He walked slowly down the stairs. His black eyes looked around the room.<br/>
A small fire was blazing in the big fireplace.<br/>
The comfortable leather sofas, on which Severus had spoken together with Lucius and Bellatrix, stood in the middle of the common room. Something seemed to be lying on one of the sofas, but Severus didn’t mind it. Instead, he continued to look around the common room.<br/>
The magnificent wallpaper of famous Slytherins decorated the walls.<br/>
And the mighty and tall windows, through which you sometimes saw water creatures, extended at the other end of the common room.<br/>
Everything was in a greenish light thanks to many enchanted candles and lamps.<br/>
Severus sighed wistfully and, without much regard for what was behind him, placed himself on one of the leather sofas.<br/>
“Merlin, watch out!”<br/>
Severus jumped up with a cry and turned around in shock. Someone was lying on the sofa.<br/>
And of course, he knew immediately who owned those beautiful green eyes and the divine ginger hair.<br/>
“L-Lily?”, Severus asked confusedly.  He wasn’t sure if he had gone mad and imagined it all.<br/>
“Who else, Sev?”, she giggled, rubbing her arm on which Severus had accidentally sat down.<br/>
“But why are you here? How did you even get in here?”<br/>
Lily pointed to a tiny vial lying next to her on the sofa.<br/>
The vial bore the inscription “Polyjuice Potion” and next to it was a piece of curled black hair.<br/>
“Are you- Did you really- Unbelievable!”, Severus laughed surprised<br/>
“It wasn’t easy to get Black’s hair. Luckily, I sat behind her in Divination.”, Lily explained, and a cunning smile appeared on her face.<br/>
“Really? Amazing! But tell me”.., Severus turned red and sat down on the floor in front of Lily, “Why are you here?”<br/>
Lily’s laughter disappeared instantly and her eyes became glassy.<br/>
She looked quietly into the blazing fire in the fireplace.<br/>
Then she smashed her fist on the back of the sofa. Severus was startled.<br/>
“It’s terrible that Professor Slughorn wants to kick you out! He’s going way too far!”, Lily histed, still looking into the fireplace.<br/>
“And if he wants to kick you out”, her green eyes were now on Severus, “he has to kick me out, too.”<br/>
Severus jumped up.<br/>
“No. No! What are you talking about?”, he stuttered, not realizing he had got up.<br/>
“I’m not staying here without you, Sev!”<br/>
Lily took a deep breath and got up, too. Determined, she was standing in front of Severus and took his hand.<br/>
Severus felt a blush on his pale face.  He looked at Lily’s hand with embarrassment. Because if he looked into her beautiful, lovely and fabulous eyes again, Severus would forget space and time. How many times had he gotten into embarrassing situations because Lily’s eyes had enchanted him and bewitched his mind.<br/>
“You’re an important person in my life, Sev.  I don’t want to be at Hogwarts without you. It would all be sad and depressing. Almost as if a part of my heart was missing.”, Lily whispered and squeezed his hand lovingly.<br/>
“But what about Potter?  He will certainly not be amused that you want to leave school because of me”, Severus said in a subdued voice and continued to avoid eye contact.<br/>
It took Lily a few seconds to find an answer.  Meanwhile, she caressed his hand.<br/>
“I’m old enough to decide for myself.  And no one will tell me what to do and what not to do”, Lily hissed biting.<br/>
There was a knock on the door of the Slytherin common room.<br/>
Severus and Lily fumbled.  Confused, both turned their heads to the door.<br/>
“Who could that be?”, Severus asked scared, hoping it wasn’t Professor Dumbledore.  Actually, he should have packed his stuff in the dormitory long ago.<br/>
Severus bit his lower lip as Lily slipped up the stairs of the common room.<br/>
It knocked again and Lily almost lost her balance in fright.<br/>
She turned around and looked at Severus anxious face.<br/>
Lily hesitated for a moment before gently pushing down the door handle.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. The mission</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“That took a while”, said Remus Lupin, smiling softly.<br/>
Severus' jaw dropped open. What was he doing here?<br/>
Remus jumped down the stairs of the Slytherin Common Room in a good mood and stopped in front of Severus.<br/>
Severus took a step back. What in Merlin’s name was going on here?<br/>
“Tadaaa! Mission Save-Severus-Snape-from-suspension!”, shouted Remus, pointing at his chest proudly where his prefect pin sparkled.<br/>
Severus took another step backwards and pulled out his wand as a precaution. Remus Lupin, who wanted to see Severus dead a few hours ago when he was on his way to the Hospital Wing, seemed changed.<br/>
“B-But I thought you were going to kill me!”, Severus stuttered in fear, holding his wand with both hands. The unpleasant smell of wet dog was in the air.<br/>
He could not believe that Remus had suddenly changed his attitude towards him and apparently even wanted to prevent him from leaving Hogwarts.<br/>
“Oh”, Remus whispered in embarrassment. On his scarred cheeks appeared a pink glow.<br/>
“I have lost control of myself. One night before the full moon, it's hard for me to control my emotions. And Padfoot kind of got me to attack you. But to make amends, he followed me down to the dungeons. It’s pretty scary down here.”<br/>
“I wonder how you get to keep a dog, even though they are not allowed as a pet?”, asked Severus and raised an eyebrow.<br/>
The pink glow on Remus' cheeks was shining like fire.<br/>
“Oh, it’s not that important”, Remus muttered shyly, winking at Lily, who was standing next to him.<br/>
“Anyway”, he continued, “I have heard of Slughorn’s verdict. It’s a shame old Horace just decided to suspend you from Hogwarts! And since we’re friends, I figured I’d stand up for you. As a prefect, I might be able to help you.”<br/>
Severus' heart, which until a few minutes ago was still cold and heavy as a rock, made a small leap of joy. Remus Lupin wanted to maintain his friendship with him.  And it meant more to Severus than he ever expected. It felt good.<br/>
“Thank you”, Severus stammered and smiled softly.<br/>
For a moment there was awkward silence.<br/>
Lily cleared herself and when Severus looked over at her, her face turned red.<br/>
“Of course I’m going to join you, Moony!” she said resolutely, her eyes glowing with euphoria.<br/>
And again Severus raised his eyebrow in confusion.<br/>
“Moony?  Who or what is Moony?”<br/>
Lily smashed her hand in front of her mouth and immediately fell silent. She looked as if she had just accidentally insulted someone.<br/>
“It’s okay, Lily. Snape helped me with the Wolfsbane Potion and knows I’m a werewolf. He also has the right to know that’s why my nickname is Moony.”, Remus explained.<br/>
Uncomfortably, Lily scratched the back of her head and nodded silently.<br/>
Severus was amazed and fascinated at the same time that Remus trusted him so much. He wondered if he would have done that. Would he have had the courage to tell Remus he was the Half-Blood Prince? Severus' mind denied, but deep in his heart he knew Remus would never reveal any secrets about him.<br/>
“Well then”, Remus said, clapping his hands once, “Let’s prevent Snape from getting kicked out of Hogwarts. Because I-”<br/>
“And how exactly are you going to do that? Do you just want to walk into Dumbledore’s office or what?”, Lily interrupted him and the soft smile on her lips disappeared.<br/>
Concerned, she crossed her arms and blew a ginger-colored strand of hair off her face.<br/>
“That’s what we’re going to do. If anyone shows understanding, it’s Dumbledore!”, explained Remus, turning aroud to Severus.<br/>
“Just trust me, Snape.”, he said and patted Severus on the shoulder.<br/>
Although he knew Remus and Lily were prefects, he couldn’t believe Dumbledore would change his mind.</p><p>The three students sneaked down the hallway to Dumbledore’s office. There was still this relaxing but terrifying silence throughout the castle. The freezing wind caused Severus' nose tip to become numb and bluish. Lily was so nervous, she almost tripped over her own feet a few times. Remus was caught up in his own thoughts that he kept muttering something to himself.<br/>
The corridor seemed endless. How long have they been walking?<br/>
Maybe a few minutes.<br/>
Or maybe a few hours?<br/>
Severus felt like they had been walking for at least several decades.<br/>
“There it is!”, Lily gasped, pointing to the large golden Stairwell Gargoyle marking the entrance to the office.<br/>
She frowned and stopped.<br/>
“Do any of you know the password?”, she asked coldly.<br/>
Remus swallowed and grasped his head in disbelief. He hadn’t thought of that and had completely forgotten that a password was needed.<br/>
“Oh, you again!”, cried a raspy voice.<br/>
Severus, Lily and Remus turned around in disorientation. Who was talking to them?<br/>
Severus blinked confused.<br/>
He knew that voice.<br/>
But where did it come from?<br/>
“Over here, you fools!”, the unknown voice growled.<br/>
Remus put his head back to look up so that his scars shone in the faint candlelight.<br/>
High up on the wall was a painting. A red-haired and old wizard had rested his arms on the picture frame.  He looked down at them angrily and inspected Severus from head to toe. His old face was now focused on Remus.<br/>
“Is your ugly friend dropping out of school too?”, he asked, laughing amused while holding his stomach with both hands.<br/>
“Ugly?!” Remus shouted unsettled.<br/>
Lily giggled quietly, drawing the attention of the old wizard.<br/>
The wizard leaned a little more on the frame and looked down to Lily with his tired and glassy eyes.<br/>
Her giggles died immediately.<br/>
She stepped backwards and hid behind Severus.<br/>
His heart starts racing as the smell of Lily rose in his nose. Severus had a hard time describing Lily’s smell.<br/>
Sweet and blissful, like a hot summer evening.<br/>
Fresh and intense like a coniferous forest after a heavy rain storm.<br/>
Warm and cosy like sunlit foliage in September.<br/>
“You are a pretty girl.”, said the wizard in his raspy voice.<br/>
Severus got torn out of his thoughts.<br/>
The wizards’s eyes seemed to get bigger and bigger, as if they could pop out off his face at any moment.<br/>
Lily blushed in shame and buried her face in Severus' shoulder. She definitely didn’t feel comfortable being gnawed at by a grim old wizard in a rangy painting.<br/>
“Who even are you?”, Severus muttered furiously and his black eyes sparkled.<br/>
The red-haired wizard raised his head and stroked his way through his ruffled hair.<br/>
“My name is Professor Amrose Sw-”<br/>
“It doesn’t matter who this idiot is!”, Remus hissed annoyed and rubbed his neck, which had become stiff from constantly looking up, “He should just give us the password and that’s it.”<br/>
The wizard groaned indignantly.<br/>
“Ungrateful scar face.”, he whispered angrily, and his pale and yellowish face turned dark red.<br/>
Remus sighed and gnashed his teeth nervously.<br/>
He crossed his arms and turned to Severus. Lily still hid anxiously behind his shoulder.<br/>
Severus thought carefully about how to get the red-haired wizard to give them the password to Dumbledore’s office.<br/>
And as time was pressing, Severus came up with a simple but effective plan.<br/>
“I’ll make you an offer, sir.”, he said after a while of silence.<br/>
“An offer, yes?”, asked the wizard, leaning clearly disinterested against the frame of his painting.<br/>
The redness, which was still glowing in his face a few minutes ago, faded slowly.<br/>
“Yes, an offer. You get the girl and I get the password.”, Severus said dryly, brushing Lily off his shoulder.<br/>
Remus' jaw dropped in shock.<br/>
“What?”, Lily shouted in fear while blinking confused.<br/>
Severus grabbed Lily by the wrist and placed her right in front of him, like an object for sale.<br/>
Wimpering and frightened, Lily waved her arms and closed them in front of her chest.  She then looked over to Remus, hoping he would save her from this unpleasant situation.<br/>
“Her name is Lily Evans.  Gryffindor and prefect. She's incredibly beautiful, isn’t she?”, said Severus, circling Lily, "Her smile is also charming. And so are her stunning eyes. A wonderful green. Deep, bright green. Like grass in a hidden forest.  And she enjoys playing Gobstone.”<br/>
The red-haired wizard leaned down even further, so that he almost seemed to fall out of his painting.<br/>
He pinched his wrinkled eyes and scanned every inch of her body.  Apparently, he was thinking hard about if Lily was worth the password to the office.<br/>
“And? Do we have a deal?”, Severus asked coldly and stopped behind Lily, “The girl for the password?”<br/>
“Are you completely out of your mind now, Snape? Have you gone mad?”, Remus shouted infuriated as he could no longer stay silent.<br/>
But Severus ignored Remus.  Instead, he waited patiently for the reaction of the old wizard.<br/>
A few minutes passed in silence.<br/>
“All right.  I’ll tell you the password.  It is...“, the wizard scratched his red hair, “Fizzing...Fizzing Whizzbees, yes!”<br/>
The golden Gargoyle started to move beneath the painting. Lots of small dust clouds were formed under the movement of the Gargoyle. It didn't take too long when a spiral staircase appeared - which led directly to Dumbledore's office - appeared.<br/>
“Now hand over the girl!”, ordered the old wizards. And a sly grin dominated his wrinkled face. He greedily clutched the frame of the painting with his bony hand.<br/>
“You don’t really think I’d give you the love of my life, do you?”, Severus asked sarcastically and smiled happily.<br/>
Remus frowned surprised. Lily turned to Severus in confusion.  Her eyes were filled with tears.<br/>
“What do you mean, kid?”, the red-haired wizard asked. His mouth twitched impatiently.<br/>
“I thought you're smarter.”, Severus mocked happily, hugging Lily from behind and pressing her on his chest, “I would never give you that wonderful girl. For nothing in this world!”<br/>
The wizard’s yellow fingernails dug angrily into the wood of the picture frame. Severus had successfully tricked him.<br/>
“You lied to me.”, the wizard hissed and his glasy eyes narrowed, “But you will pay for that!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Yellow eyes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What are we waiting for?  Let’s enter the office quickly!”, suggested Lily, hastily rubbing her eyes. She took a deep breath, held it for a brief moment, and looked expectantly at Severus. But just as Severus tried to open his mouth to agree with Lily, he fell silent.<br/>
Did he hear anything?<br/>
With a beating heart Severus turned and stared into the darkness of the long corridor. Sweat wet his pale palms.<br/>
Was someone following them?<br/>
“Did you see anything, Sev?”, Lily asked anxiously, gently stroking his back.<br/>
Severus shook his head nervously. Probably all just imagination, he thought.<br/>
“Then we’d better go to the office before someone sees us!”, said Lily, and stopped stroking Severus' back.<br/>
“No, not yet. We should get rid of this idiot here first”, called Remus, pointing to the wizard, who stomped angrily in his painting, “He will surely tell a teacher that we are still sneaking around! And when he says that we have somehow illegally gained access to the Headmaster’s office, things will get even more serious.”<br/>
Severus closed his mouth. Remus was right.<br/>
His black eyes looked up at the wizard, whose face had become as red as his ruffled hair.<br/>
Severus remembered sitting in Dumbledore office a few hours ago.  There he had watched the wizard leaving his painting to jump into another painting somewhere in the castle.<br/>
“And what shall we do, Lupin?”, asked Severus slowly and his gaze wandered down to Remus, “Are you going to cast a spell on the portrait or what?”<br/>
“I think I've read something about that once”, Lily mumbled in and tilted her head to the side thoughtfully, as if trying to remember something.<br/>
Remus, however, pulled out his wand and pointed it concentrated at the painting. He pinched his green eyes, so that he could target the red-haired wizard.<br/>
Focused, he quietly whispered a spell. A flickering white light appeared at the top of his wand. Severus looked intently at the growing light.<br/>
After a few seconds, the light became so bright and glaring that Severus' eyes began to ache. Remus quietly repeated the words again and his hands started shaking as the wand began to vibrate.<br/>
When Lily remembered and realized the spell Remus was casting, she swirled around and screamed:<br/>
“Stop, no! All the paintings are covered with Protective enchantments, the curse will bounce off!”<br/>
Under the screams of Lily, the red-haired wizard, who was leaning against the picture frame in his portrait, laughed.<br/>
“Oh Merlin, you really are a fool! No wonder you didn’t get sorted into Ravenclaw.  Anyway, I-”<br/>
“Shut up!", yelled Lily, looking angry into the wizard’s old eyes, “Moony, you have to stop!”<br/>
But it was too late.<br/>
Remus' wand was already so full of energy and power that it would probably explode to death if he would stop the spell now.<br/>
“Bombarda Maxima!”, shouted Remus, holding the wand tightly with both hands.<br/>
The bright white flash of light shot at incredible speed from the top of the wand. The light shone like tiny diamonds in the moonlight. And though Severus' eyes hurt terribly, he couldn’t help but gaze at the spell.<br/>
“Moony, watch out!”, Lily screamed hysterically.<br/>
But Remus was captivated by the beauty of the spell reflected on his scarred face.<br/>
With a loud bang, the gleaming flash of light struck the painting, where the red-haired wizard still laughed mockingly.<br/>
But instead of destroying the painting, something completely different happened.<br/>
Something Remus didn’t expect.<br/>
As prophesied by Lily, the spell bounced off and rushed straight towards him.<br/>
Severus had managed to detach his gaze from the flash of light and looked over to Remus anxiously. His eyes were burning. The light had blinded him so much that everything seemed blurred.<br/>
Remus didn't move. He was in shock. Paralyzed and in panic, his green eyes followed in the dangerous white light, which was getting closer and closer.<br/>
“Lupin!”, cried Severus and stretched out his hand to pull Remus out of the trajectory of the spell. Severus had almost taken hold of his arm when the white flash of light crashed right at Remus and hurled him meters across the cold and gloomy corridor.<br/>
The darkness swallowed him up, so that Remus could no longer be seen. As if Remus had become one with the darkness.<br/>
From a distance he could be heard thundering against a wall under the monstrous power of the spell.<br/>
A tormented groan of Remus echoed through the corridor.<br/>
Lily screamed so loud that there was a piercing and painful noise in Severus' ears.<br/>
And again, he had the feeling that someone was watching them.<br/>
Severus turned around and looked for the second time into the oppressive darkness of the corridor.<br/>
His eyes were still blinded by the bright white light.<br/>
As often as Severus rubbed his black eyes, his vision remained blurred. But he thought he could see something.<br/>
Two glowing eyes.<br/>
Yellow, glowing eyes.<br/>
And suddenly it smelled like a wet dog again.  Just like Remus smelled when he entered the Slytherin Common Room.<br/>
The unknown beast with the glowing eyes plotted out of the darkness towards Severus.<br/>
His black and shaggy fur shimmered in the faint glow of the torches. It was a dog.<br/>
Severus knew this dog.<br/>
He’d seen him before. The dog had tried to kill him on the way to the infirmary.<br/>
Severus remembered the first encounter with him well.<br/>
The long, grey claws that slid across the dusty ground like a blade.<br/>
The pure anger and hate in the glowing yellow eyes.<br/>
The menacing growl when the dog had set to jump.<br/>
How Severus had to cause an Impediment Jinx to protect himself.<br/>
And how Remus kept yelling the dog’s name. How it echoed through the whole corridor.<br/>
Yes, Severus remembered every detail.<br/>
He took a deep breath and said:<br/>
“Are you Padfoot?”<br/>
With a growl, the dog stared deep into the black eyes of Severus. Did Padfoot just wink at him? Or did it just happen in his head?<br/>
Suddenly the dog began to bark loudly and caused Severus to shake. He saw how Padfoot rushed past him and headed straight to the painting with the red-haired wizard.<br/>
The wizard opened his old eyes in shock when Padfoot started to jump and pushed himself off the ground with his strong hind legs.<br/>
The dog raised its huge paw and the grey, long, sharp claws slid across the canvas of the portrait.<br/>
Many large cuts cut across the entire painting and now fell off the wooden plate on which they once stuck.<br/>
A small part of the canvas remained intact, but the wizard was gone.<br/>
“Where did he go?”, Lily shouted confusedly, pointing to the empty portrait several times.<br/>
“A dog just jumped through the air and don’t you think that’s strange?”, Severus commented, apparently surprised that Lily didn’t find the sudden appearance of Padfoot surprising.<br/>
“Where did he go?”, repeated Lily, stepping closer to the shattered painting. She scratched her head, laid her head back, and muttered something to herself.<br/>
Severus occupied himself with Padfoot, who was sitting next to him on the ground.<br/>
The dog wagged its tail and panted happily. Severus had never spoken to a dog before. But he wanted to say thank you to Padfoot. Because of him, the annoying wizard had been banished from his painting.<br/>
“Excuse me”, Severus said shyly, kneeling down to the dog. Padfoot licked his paws, on which small scrabs of the canvas hung.<br/>
“Hello, Padfoot, I wanted to thank you”, Severus stammered quietly and felt quite stupid. Was it normal to talk to animals? Did the other students do that with their pets?<br/>
“He won’t answer you”, giggled Remus, kneeling beside Severus. Blood dripped from his mouth and colored the dusty ground dark red.<br/>
“Remus! Are you all right?”, Severus asked anxiously and saw Remus wipe the rest of the blood from his face with his sleeve.<br/>
He nodded.<br/>
“Fortunately nothing happened to me. Just a broken nose, nothing else”, said Remus calmly, stroking Padfoot between his big ears. Lily hugged Remus, glad he wasn’t hurt worse. The dog barked cheerfully and threw himself playfully on his back. His yellow eyes switched their focus between Lily and Remus, as if he were asking them to play with him.<br/>
“How did Padfoot know we were here?”, Severus asked after a while.<br/>
It was really strange that the dog knew where they were and that they were trying to gain access to Dumbledore’s office.<br/>
A red blush appeared on Remus' cheeks.<br/>
“He’s just a clever dog”, he said dryly and stroked Padfoot lovingly on his stomach.<br/>
Severus stood up and looked at the destroyed painting.<br/>
No, it couldn’t have been a coincidence.<br/>
Something was wrong here. If only Severus would've known what was going on.<br/>
“And how did Padfoot know that he had to destroy the portrait so that the wizard would disappear?”, he asked, crossing his arms while looking directly at Remus.<br/>
Now Remus had also stood up. His green eyes sparkled in anger.<br/>
“You ask far too many questions, Snape”, he growled.<br/>
From the tone Severus realized that he had hit a sore spot. Padfoot's tail stopped wagging and he sat up again without making a sound. The black fur was covered in dust and blood that had dripped from Remus' nose.<br/>
Severus knew Remus was hiding something from him. He sighed angrily, his arms still tightly crossed. Severus would have liked to know what kind of secret Remus was hiding. But he decided not to ask more questions. It was neither the right time nor the right place for a discussion.<br/>
Severus pressed his thin lips together and accepted the uncomfortable silence.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. The secret boy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lily was the first in the group to walk carefully and slowly into Dumbledore's office. The room was covered in heavy shadows, which pulled up on the walls and flooded the ceiling with pure darkness. The only source of light was a round basin in a dark corner of the office that shimmered in a light blue colour. Lily screwed up her eyes, hoping to see a little more.<br/>"Professor?" She called, "Professor Dumbledore, sir? Are you there?"<br/>No Answer.<br/>Lily stepped further into the office.<br/>The floor was at least as dark as the ceiling, which through its blackness appeared massive and heavy, as if it could crush a person with its shadows.<br/>Lily pulled out her wand and pointed at the center of the room.<br/>"Homenum revelio.", She whispered nervously.<br/>Nothing happened.<br/>"We're alone.", Lily said, but didn't seem particularly reassured. With a skillful movement of the hand she performed a Wand-Lighting Charm.<br/>The office was no longer completely dark.<br/>Here and there the outlines of the individual furnishings, such as tables or chairs, could now be seen. Many small glass sculptures, which were distributed throughout the room, sparkled in the glow of the light.<br/>Close behind her was Severus, who walked slightly hunched, as if he were afraid that the many portraits would humiliate him with their looks. And although every single portrait was sunk into a deep sleep and leaned peacefully against its picture frame, Severus got the feeling that he was being watched. He glanced quickly over to the painting of the red-haired wizard who once made fun of him during his conversation with Dumbledore and Slughorn.<br/>Severus let out a relieved breath when he saw the empty painting behind the Headmaster's table.<br/>Remus and Padfoot entered the office last. Like Lily, he had his wand in his hand and looked around fearfully.<br/>"If I get caught, I can throw my Prefect badge in the bin.", Remus whispered worriedly and looked down at Padfoot, who raised his head in agreement and panted excitedly.<br/>The office had a strange smell of its own. It smelled musty and at the same time like freshly washed curtains. But the smell of Padfoot's dirty fur was still in the air and Severus wrinkled his nose as if he was about to sneeze.<br/>"I wonder where he is?", Lily whispered and pointed with her wand at the many glass sculptures that glittered in different colors and shapes. She randomly grabbed a figure that had the shape of a red stag and looked at it bored.<br/>"I wonder if Dumbledore has a preference for stags?", Lily giggled and carefully put the red sculpture back in its place.<br/>Her eyes lingered on the figure for a few seconds.<br/>"A stag ... wait a minute!", Lily shouted and jumped in the air.<br/>Severus, who was busy sneaking around in circles to make sure that every portrait was asleep and not spying on them, turned around to Lily.<br/>"Did you find something?", he asked and looked at Lily, who excitedly pointed to the red deer figure.<br/>Padfoot, who had lain down on the floor tiredly, also looked up.<br/>"Moony, a stag! A stag!", Lily screamed excitedly and could barely breathe.<br/>Remus looked at her completely overwhelmed and didn't seem to know what was going on.<br/>"Yes, and what is so special about it?", he asked hesitantly and laughed nervously.<br/>“A stag! Merlin, don't you get it? We'll use the map to find Dumbledore!", Lily exclaimed euphorically and stared at Remus with a proud smile.<br/>Remus looked confused until after a moment he too understood what Lily was meaning.<br/>"You're right! The map, how could I have forgotten that?", he said, groaning and slapping his hand against his forehead. Immediately he looked in the inside pocket of his cloak for the map, which seemed to be of great importance.<br/>Padfoot jumped around in a circle, accidentally knocking over a couple of old, mysterious measuring instruments on a wobbly wooden table. Lily winced at the noise and swore quietly.<br/>"I'm sorry if I disturb your joy.", Severus said and hurried over to Lily to help her pick up the measuring instruments, "But what kind of map are you talking about? And what does this ugly glass figure have to do with it?"<br/>Remus was so busy searching that he overheard Severus' question.<br/>"It's a magical map that was invented by James, Remus, Sirius and Peter.", Lily explained, running her wand over the broken pieces of the wooden table.<br/>"A magical map? And it does what?", Severus asked and diligently picked up the remaining measuring instruments from the floor.<br/>He certainly knew that Potter and his friends were talented wizards. But that they had managed to create a magical map on their own amazed Severus.<br/>"The map shows the location of everyone who is currently at Hogwarts.", Lily said.<br/>Severus' black eyes wandered over to Remus, who was triumphantly holding a yellowed and wrinkled parchment in one hand.<br/>"I found it! I found it!", he shouted, holding up the parchment, confident of victory.<br/>Severus, who had hoped to see a pompous map, frowned.<br/>"That's a piece of blank parchment," he mumbled disappointed.<br/>Remus chuckled and grinned.<br/>“Don't judge this piece of parchment, Snape. Just wait and see!", he said proudly.<br/>Remus squeezed between Severus and Lily, took out his wand and carefully touched the center of the parchment with the tip.<br/>"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!", Remus whispered melodically.<br/>Severus leaned curiously over the parchment. And indeed something happened.<br/>A spot of scarlet paint appeared from the tip of the wand, spreading more and more across the surface of the parchment.<br/>After a short while, the movement of the color patch stopped. What was now on display was a small caricature of an old building that was supposed to represent a part of Hogwarts.<br/>Severus slowly ran his finger over the now labeled piece of parchment.<br/>"Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present the Marauder's Map.", Severus read the inscription of the map out loud.<br/>His finger stopped at the name 'Padfoot'. Something felt strange.<br/>Severus read the name over and over and was amazed to find that he hadn't misread it.<br/>How could a dog have helped create a magical map?<br/>"I think the map is broken. It says 'Padfoot' here!", he said, tapping on the name with his index finger.<br/>Remus' grin disappeared. Embarrassed, he scratched his neck and cleared his throat.<br/>"Oh, you are probably right, Snape.", Remus stuttered and pushed Severus' finger, which was still on the name, aside.<br/>Lily snorted angrily and quickly snatched the map from Remus. She stared at him, her expression furious.<br/>"What nonsense, Moony! Sev is a friend of ours now, why shouldn't he know the secret of the Marauders?", Lily growled and firmly clutched the parchment with her fingers.<br/>Padfoot, who had just walked calmly through the office and had looked around very carefully, stopped and looked over at Lily with his glowing eyes that sparkled scary and mysterious in the weak light. He raised his black ears carefully.<br/>"Are you sure, Lily? Don't you think you're going a little too far?", Remus asked, reaching for the map unsuccessfully.<br/>"Of course I am sure! If anyone can keep a secret, it's Sev!", Lily exclaimed, her cheeks glowing a delicate pink.<br/>Remus sighed and suddenly he looked pretty exhausted.<br/>"Yes, but Prongs will be incredibly angry. You know how much he hates Snape!", he replied and his eyes were longingly fixed on the parchment.<br/>“I don't care! Prongs has to deal with the fact that Sev and I are friends and that I trust him!”, Lily growled and the pink on her face turned dark red.<br/>Severus' head constantly turned to Remus and Lily, making him a little dizzy.<br/>"Well, we'll tell him then."<br/>Lily hesitantly handed the map back to Remus. He carefully opened the map, which had got even more crinkles from Lily's firm grip.<br/>Nobody said a word.<br/>Severus watched in silence as Remus went through the map, apparently looking for something. Fascinated by the fact that the names of the people who were currently in the castle were actually moving, Severus leaned over the parchment again.<br/>So Lily wasn't lying. The map was real.<br/>"So... here we are." Remus whispered after turning through several the pages for a while.<br/>With the tip of his wand he pointed to a marked room labeled 'Headmaster's Office'. In the 'Headmaster's Office' there were four name tags that gave information about the position of the people in the room.<br/>Severus leaned closer to the map so that the tips of his jet black hair gently touched the surface of the yellowed parchment.<br/>" 'Remus Lupin', 'Severus Snape', 'Lily Evans'.", Severus read out loud and his mouth dropped in shock as he read the last name, " 'Sirius Black'."</p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. The Animagus</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What do you mean, Sirius Black is in this room?”, Severus asked in disbelief, looking around Dumbledore’s office.<br/>Was Black hiding somewhere? Maybe behind the curtains? Or maybe he crouched under one of the many tables in the room?<br/>Severus frowned and scratched his head confusedly. Thanks to a spell, Lily had been able to discover that no one was in Dumbledore’s office except himself, her and Lupin.<br/>“Are you making fun of me?” Severus muttered, staring at Lupin darkly with a penetrating glance.<br/>There wasn’t a fourth person in the room. Human-presence-revealing Spell never lied.<br/>Lupin, who had put on a soft smile and was not intimidated by Severus' harsh implication, shook his head.<br/>“I’m not making fun of you, Snape.The Marauders Map doesn’t lie. Sirius is in this room”, said Remus, stroking Padfoot lovingly behind his ears.<br/>Then he knelt down to the dog, whose yellow eyes glowed peacefully, and whispered something to him.<br/>Severus turned desperately to Lily. What did Remus mean when he said the map never lied, even though there was no sign of Sirius Black?<br/>“Do you know what an Animagus is, Sev?”, Lily asked, noticing Severus’s worried look.<br/>An Animagus? Yeah, he’d actually heard about it before.<br/>“Animagi are people who can turn into animals, right?”, Severus answered and was quite confused that Lily asked him such a strange question.<br/>“Well, then everything is settled!”, Lily laughed and her green eyes glowed at least as brightly as the yellow ones of Padfoot.<br/>Is everything settled? Severus didn’t understand a word. He was more confused than before. Did he have a mental error?<br/>Severus again let his gaze wander through the office of Dumbledore.<br/>“Sirius Black, Sirius Black...  Where are you?”, muttered Severus.<br/>He scanned each of the many portraits that hung on the wall. Each portrait was asleep and snore peacefully.<br/>Was Black trapped in one of the paintings?<br/>Was that why Severus felt constantly being watched?<br/>He pulled out his wand and quickly performed a Wand-Lighting Charm to better recognize the people in the paintings.<br/>He watched each portrait attentively down to the last detail.<br/>But there was still no sign of Sirius Black.<br/>“Merlin, boy, turn off the light! I want to sleep!”, hissed an old wizard wearing a cape in the colours of Slytherin, green and silver. His white goatee shimmered like a large cobweb in the faint glow of Severus' Wand-Lighting Charm.<br/>Remus and Lily had sat on the floor and giggled as they stroked the black fur of Padfoot.<br/>Severus extinguished the light in embarrassment.<br/>Where in Merlin’s name was Black hiding?<br/>Disappointed, he walked back to Remus, Lily and Padfoot. Discouraged, he dropped to the floor next to Lily.<br/>“I think I’m too stupid for this riddle. Can’t you just tell me where Black is?,” Severus moaned demotivated, leaning against Lily’s shoulder.<br/>For a brief moment, he closed his eyes and enjoyed the pleasant warmth coming from Lily’s body. Severus had never felt so comfortable in the presence of a person.  He couldn’t imagine his life without Lily. Without her, Severus' life would be gray and depressing. He leaned a bit more against her and all of a sudden Severus felt Lily’s soft pink lips on his cheek. Lovingly she placed a tender kiss on his skin, which was soft as silk.<br/>Severus' heart began to beat as fast as a drum, like the many times before. He was afraid that his heart would explodewith joy. A hot, red glow shot into Severus' pale face.<br/>“Uhm, all right!”, Remus cleared his throat and smiled. Slightly annoyed that Remus had ruined this wonderful moment between him and Lily, Severus opened his black eyes.<br/>And what he saw then, was something that he never expected.<br/>“W-What in Merlin’s name?”, Severus stuttered in shock as he saw a familiar face.<br/>Sirius  Black sat next to Remus with a grin.<br/>He wore the usual uniform of the House of Gryffindor. The tie, however, was sloppyly knotted together and his cloak was full of wrinkles.<br/>The hair was shoulders long and wavy and, unlike Severus, washed.<br/>Yet Sirius looked a little scruffy beside Remus.<br/>“B-But how? How does Black get into the o-office all of a sudden?”, asked Severus in a trembling voice, clutching Lily’s arm.<br/>He couldn’t explain how Sirius was able to enter the room without making a noise.<br/>“Do you remember what Lily asked you a few moments ago?”, said Sirius in a deep voice, “Do you know what an Animagus is?”<br/>Yes, Severus remembered that question.<br/>A thought crossed his mind.<br/>Could Black possibly be an Animagus?<br/>After all, he was a very talented wizard.  It would be possible, no question.<br/>“Ah, now you check it, Snivellus.”, Sirius laughed mockingly as he recognized the sparkles in Severus' pitch-black eyes.<br/>“Don’t call him that, or I’ll hex you!”, Lily hissed angrily, staring at Sirius with a grim look.<br/>Severus and Remus looked at each other in shock. It was extremely rare for Lily to get so angry. Even Remus, who had spent more time with her than Severus, seemed quite astonished at Lily’s fit of rage.<br/>“Yes, whatever.”, Sirius continued, and seemed not to take Lily’s warning seriously.<br/>Severus clung tighter to Lily’s arm.<br/>For some reason he had a certain reverence for Sirius. Sirius was so confident and proud of himself that Severus was intimidated. Next to Sirius, he looked like a weak looser.<br/>“But yes, I am an Animagus. I have the ability to turn into a dog. More precisely, I turn into Padfoot every now and then”, Sirius explained bored, as if it were the most normal thing in the world to be an Animagus, “I think if Snivellus could turn into an animal, he would be a cockroach or a dung beetle.”<br/>Lily jumped out of nowhere, pushing Severus away so that he accidentally smashed his head against a chair.<br/>“That’s enough!”, she screamed and pointing her wand at Sirius, who laughed loudly at his own joke.<br/>Now Remus had also got up and quickly placed himself between Lily and Sirius.<br/>“Stop it! Both of you!”, exclaimed Remus and spread out his arms for protection.<br/>“He should stop insulting Sev!”, screamed Lily, still pointing her wand at Sirius who was covered by Remus.<br/>“Why are you even hanging out with that stupid snake?”, said Sirius, who sat relaxed on the floor behind Remus and didn’t seem to feel any fear.<br/>“He’s not stupid!”, she shouted, and a light blue flash of light shot from the top of her wand.<br/>The blue light, however, missed Sirius and crashed on the wall of the office with a loud noise.<br/>“I said stop!”, commanded Remus, who had a pearl of sweat running over his scarred face.<br/>In utter despair, he snatched Lily’s wand and threw it over to Severus, who rubbed his head in pain.<br/>“Now sit down again and be quiet! Do you know how loud you two are? Because of you, a teacher will hear us and then we’ll all be kicked out of school!”, Remus said in a trembling voice.<br/>Lily snorted furious, but knew Remus was right. She had overreacted. Lily sat down on the ground next to Severus.<br/>“Here.”, Severus whispered shyly, giving Lily her wand that Remus had thrown at him a few moments ago.<br/>She thanked him and made it disappear in her cloak.<br/>“I didn’t do anything!”, Sirius growled, “Lily attacked me!”<br/>“Yes, because you insulted Snape! Merlin, how old are you, Sirius? Twelve ? Get your ass together!”, Remus shouted back, seemingly having completely forgotten his own words that everyone should stop screaming.<br/>Instead, he rebuked Sirius so loudly that it was possibly for the whole castle to hear.<br/>“Don’t say you’re on the side of Snivellus!”, shouted Sirius, clenching his fists threateningly.<br/>“Shut up, you asshole!”, Remus shouted back, trying to punch Sirius. His fist missed him by a few centimeters.<br/>“Good evening, Lupin”, a calm voice appeared.<br/>Remus and Sirius stopped in their motion as if they were petrified.<br/>Severus and Lily, who were sitting side by side on the ground watching the fight between the two Gryffindors, also seemed to be paralyzed.<br/>In the door frame of the office was an old man with a long beard. He wore a magnificent cream-colored robe, which was decorated with many embroideries. On his nose he wore glasses with half-moon lenses, through which his deep blue eyes glowed.<br/>“P-Professor Dumbledore!”, Remus stuttered embarrassingly, and a dark red glow of shame lay on his scarred face.<br/>“Oh shit”, muttered Sirius, who was also frightened by the Headmaster’s sudden appearance.</p>
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